Apple is planning a range of transformative upgrades for the iPad lineup in the coming years, including a new 14.1-inch model and an 11-inch model with an OLED display, as well as the introduction of under-screen camera technology and foldable displays, according to reliable display analyst Ross Young.
The comments, made on the latest episode of The MacRumors Show, provide insights into Apple's future plans for the iPad. Among the key new details is the fact that Young no longer believes that the 14.1-inch iPad rumored to launch early next year will feature mini-LED technology, with the display effectively being the same LCD that is in the current iPad Air. He added that he is seeking further confirmation from suppliers about the larger device.
Young believes that the 11-inch iPad Pro will stick with its current display technology in the immediate future, with Apple having no plans to upgrade it to a mini-LED display or "Liquid Retina XDR" like the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The company is instead said to be waiting for the jump to OLED displays, which is scheduled to occur for both the 11-inch and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro simultaneously in 2024. Young said that Apple expects the OLED 11-inch iPad Pro to sell in considerably higher volumes than the OLED 12.9-inch iPad Pro during their launch year.
Young thinks that Apple's under-display TrueDepth camera could come to the iPad before it comes to the iPhone, with the technology being easier to introduce underneath a larger display with lower pixels per inch. The implementation is also said to be more feasible because the iPad is manufactured in lower volume than the iPhone. He added that this new feature could theoretically emerge as soon as next year, well ahead of when the technology is expected to appear on the iPhone.
In addition, Young claimed that obtaining a sufficient volume of cover glass has been a key limiting factor in Apple's failure to bring a foldable iPhone to market so far. The company is not expected to face such problems with a larger foldable iPad or MacBook, hence why a bigger Apple foldable device could also come to market before a foldable iPhone.
