For this year’s iPad Pro, Apple introduced the use of mini LED display technology. It is largely expected that Apple would be sticking to mini LEDs for a while, but that might not necessarily be the case. According to a report from Korean publication ETNews, 2022’s iPads might actually see Apple turn to the use of OLED instead.
However, it should be noted that this doesn’t mean that Apple will be abandoning mini LED. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously said that 2022’s iPad Air could use OLED display, and that Apple would actually use mini LEDs for its “productivity” devices, like that of the iPad Pro. This is because mini LEDs don’t have burn-in problems, which is good for the long run.
This is because Apple is concerned that users who might use their devices for extended periods of time for work or school using the same software could notice burn-in after a while. This is why the analyst believes that Apple will continue using mini LEDs for its productivity devices, while the others will use OLED.
Another reason for using OLED in its non-Pro products is because unlike the iPhone which uses a custom OLED panel, the OLED displays that would be used for the iPad are flat and could cost Apple as much as LCD panels, meaning that the switch to OLED won’t be so prohibitive in terms of costs.