The Mysterious Mini-LED iPad Is Not the Next iPad Air

Last week, well-connected display industry analyst Ross Young dropped a bombshell when he predicted that the new 12.9-inch iPad Air, which is expected to launch next month, would feature a mini-LED screen.

At the time, information Young had gleaned from his sources suggested that Apple was looking to add mini-LED technology to the larger iPad to clear out leftover stock of the panels it’s been using in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro since it made the switch in 2021.

Considering that both of this year’s iPad Pro models are expected to transition to OLED, it wasn’t hard to believe that Apple might have a surplus of mini-LED components, except for the fact that Apple is well-known for running its supply lines lean and mean. It rarely asks its manufacturing partners to produce more components than it needs in the short term, nor does it typically store up components.

Nevertheless, Young is well-connected in the display industry, and his information has often proved reliable, so it seemed a safe bet that there was at least something to this rumor. However, now it appears that Young has received some additional information from “even more supply chain sources” that contradict his earlier prediction — or at least suggest that it might have been premature.

In a post to his subscribers on X, Young reversed course, stating that both iPad Air models will be equipped with LCD screens, which is what we were all expecting before the possibility surfaced of the larger one gaining mini-LED.

Young emphasized that even though several supply chain sources had led him to believe that the new screen tech was coming to the 12.9-inch iPad Air, those sources may have been mistaking that for a future iPad that Apple has in the works.

New details have emerged that hint at another mini-LED iPad coming down the road, possibly late this year. Those surplus panels are supposedly intended for this device, but it’s anybody’s guess what Apple is up to here.

Based on the size and screen specs, this would have to be an entirely new entry in the iPad family. While rumors of a mini-LED iPad mini have made the rounds over the years, that’s far from a 12.9-inch tablet, and it’s unlikely Apple would produce a larger version of its standard iPad and equip it with a better display than the one found in the mid-tier iPad Air.

This means that if this report is accurate, we’re looking at either a premium iPad Air or a budget iPad Pro. However, with this mythic tablet still months away, it’s also possible that not all the cards are visible on the table just yet. The idea of a warehouse full of 12.9-inch mini-LED panels still seems dubious, but it’s plausible that Apple might have some supplier arrangements in place to take the iPad mini to mini-LED.

Either way, the short-term news is that the iPad Air will stick with LCD, which is likely a better idea anyway. The mini-LED panels would undoubtedly result in a price increase for the larger model, blurring the lines between it and the iPad Pro lineup.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro saw its price jump between $100 and $150 for the different storage configurations when it went from LCD to mini-LED in 2021, and while that could increase even further with the switch to OLED, the price of the smaller iPad Air is expected to remain the same as the current model. While the 12.9-inch iPad Air will be a new model, if Apple follows tradition, it should be around $200 more than its smaller counterpart.

[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.]