iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec).

OLED iPad Air
"In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on Thursday at the 2024 Korea Display Conference in Seoul.

A two-stack tandem structure consists of two light-emitting layers stacked together. The two-stack OLED design can generate the same brightness levels as a single-stack design, but with significantly reduced power consumption and extended lifespan. The iPhone currently uses a single stack OLED display with one light-emitting layer.

Omdia's latest prediction is an adjustment to a forecast published earlier this year, in which it said Apple will launch 8.3-inch iPad mini and 10.8-inch iPad Air models with OLED displays in 2026.

The research firm now appears to be leaning towards the possibility that Apple will launch an OLED foldable in the next few years in the form of a 7- to 8-inch device that could ultimately replace the 8.3-inch iPad mini. According to a previous report, Apple is reviewing a launch timeframe for such a device between 2026 and 2027. The latest report however does not mention whether Kang Min-soo offered his own timeframe.

Apple's next-generation OLED iPad Pro models are expected to be announced in a matter of weeks, according to multiple sources. They are rumored to have a thinner design, an M3 chip, improved cameras, MagSafe wireless charging, and a redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory that makes the iPad Pro more laptop-like.

Apple is also working on two non-OLED versions of the iPad Air, in 10.9 and 12.9-inch sizes, similar to the two sizes of the iPad Pro. These iPad Air models are expected to be introduced as soon as late March alongside the new OLED iPad Pro models.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
apple tv hd

Apple Launched Its Big New Vision for TV 10 Years Ago Today

Thursday October 30, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple launched the Apple TV HD, the Siri Remote, tvOS, and their accompanying App Store a decade ago today, marking a major overhaul of the device. The new vision for the Apple TV was unveiled on September 9, 2015 during Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco, where CEO Tim Cook introduced the device with the statement, "The future of TV is apps." The announcement represented a major...
iOS 26

Apple This November: iOS 26.2 Beta, Rumored New Products, and More

Thursday October 30, 2025 12:42 pm PDT by
Tomorrow is Halloween, and then November is upon us. Below, we outline what to expect from Apple next month, as the slower holiday season approaches. Apple is expected to kick off November by releasing iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. With beta testing now wrapped up, the updates will likely be released this Monday, November 3 or Tuesday,...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Revamped Siri on Track to Launch Next Year

Thursday October 30, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook today said that a more personalized version of Siri remains on track to launch at some point next year, with the new set of features expected to debut on the iPhone as part of iOS 26.4 in March or April. "We're also excited for a more personalized Siri," said Cook, on Apple's earnings call for the third quarter of the 2025 calendar year. "We're making good progress on it,...

Top Rated Comments

zkap Avatar
21 months ago
Ah yes, 2028. Why not write something as obvious as the Air following the Pro into OLED territory, which was always going to be the case. Leave it to Apple to be proactive, spreading a feature across the line-up in as little as half a decade.
I do think, though, that this report / rumor is optimistic. More realistically, we will get ProMotion Airs in 2028, immediately followed by OLED ProMotion Airs as soon as 2032.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JanoschR Avatar
21 months ago
ok, great... but I want the new iPad Pro now! ?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gleepskip Avatar
21 months ago

I am very happy with the current Air 5 panels, which is a good improvement over the previous generations (Air 4 and Air 3), both of which suffered from light leaking of different degrees.
Air 5 display is great and that's coming from am M-series MBP owner. I wish Apple would obsess more with iPad software than hardware.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kiranmk2 Avatar
21 months ago
Hmmm something's not adding up. If the iPad Air was also getting the tandem panel I could understand a 2028 date (time for the technology to mature and prices to decrease), but if it's only getting a single stack panel I don't see why it can't get it sooner with the differentiation to the iPad Pro being the brightness achievable.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
21 months ago
What happened to micro LED- the next gen LED tech with the core visual benefits of OLED minus the shortcomings like burn-in, but also major gains in power efficiency & similar? I seem to recall that only a few years ago, forecasts (such as here in 2018 ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-developing-its-own-microled-displays-for-future-devices.2110896/') and here in 2020 ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/report-apple-investing-330-million-in-taiwanese-factory-where-microled-display-development-will-be-top-priority.2239230/')) had microLED arriving by about now... if not a year or two+ ago.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rodney Williams Avatar
21 months ago
Everyone has a valid point. I was given an M1 iPad Pro 11 inch for Christmas by my daughter. I wasn't even sure if I will ever own one. Then I was given one as a gift. It was about almost 6 months afterward that I decided to play with it and see what it's capable of. I have to admit that I was really impressed. Actually blown away in comparison to the earlier iPad when it first came on the market. No wonder, there's a market for digital art. So I haven't picked up a pencil in 20 plus years and decided to get back into my creative self. Slowly but surely getting back into it. At this point, I'm pleased with my M1 iPad Pro, and it does everything that I need to tap into my creativity. Definitely a new frontier that I'm entering when it comes to digital art and creativity. I don't think I will be worrying about the latest and the greatest iPad Air or iPad Pro at this point unless I break my current iPad Pro which I don't think will happen.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)