Apple’s Preparing for ‘Multiple OLED iPads,’ Budget iPad 2023 Redesign

We’ve known the iPad to feature an LCD display for a whopping 12 years now. Today we have more reports pointing to Apple gearing up for multiple OLED iPads. The report from The Elec says LG has begun shifting some of its production capacity to OLED panels for future larger iPad models.

This is another report claiming the imminent launch of an OLED iPad. At this time in February 2022, the only OLED displays are found on almost all new iPhones and the Apple Watch. Apple’s iPad and Mac lineups do not have OLED, and even right now, the iPhone SE doesn’t have an OLED display.

It was reported in mid-2021 that Apple was preparing the iPad Air 5 to have an OLED display. According to The Elec, “LG Display was currently shifting some of its OLED production equipment at its E5 line at its plant in Gumi, South Korea to its plant in Paju.” The company was transferring some of its tensioners – used in depositing OLED materials on the panel during production – to its E6-4 line at its P10 plant in Paju, sources said. 

The Elec says that LG is only doing this to prepare for the production of OLED panels for future (and or) upcoming iPad models. 

The Elec has reported many times that Apple’s supply chain was preparing for OLED displays for its iPad models. Ming-Chi Kuo reported on multiple occasions that Apple was planning the upcoming iPad Air 5 to be the first iPad with an OLED display in 2022, he most recently said the plans were canceled and that the iPad Air 5 coming in the spring of 2022 will stick with the 10.8″ Liquid Retina Display. 

Kuo has reported that Apple wants to focus on bringing mini-LED technology to the iPad and Mac first before switching to OLED (if OLED at all).

Apple wants to keep OLED on the iPhone and Apple Watch for now, with those devices in the future planning to be switched to micro-OLED as the technology becomes available.

With this report coming, some would be quick to assume that all the iPads, when updated, will receive OLED (not true……), but here is an update focused on the $329 budget iPad and when it will get a redesign.

Budget iPad Redesign 2023

No redesign is coming for 2022, as the budget iPad will get the A14 chip this year and remain the same price, and won’t be much of an update with the same 10.2″ display with black bezels, and still, a Home button is expected. In 2023 though, it will be a new era for the regular iPad, as the design will remove the Home button finally.

• Prototype units bring iMac and AirPods Max-like colors, as well as a larger 10.5″ display that was expected in 2021.
• The overall footprint is looking to decrease as well.
• Now Apple has been working on a version that has white bezels since it is the “consumer” device. Still, I expect black bezels with the recent changes in 2021.
• Apple will get rid of Lightning with the device, and it will gain more features mainly for creative and artistic students with USB-C coming as the switch to the Liquid Retina Display with full lamination (about time).
• The chipset inside more than likely will be the A15 but may get the A16.

The OLED iPads are something many consumers have wanted for a long time now, and they may not get them, I’ll say for about two years, but Apple has begun the journey to give the people what they want. Thanks for reading!

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]