05. Jun 2022 | 5:00 p.m. | 0 comments
Samsung plans to build a new production line in South Korea to make larger OLED displays suitable for tablets and notebooks. In doing so, the company ultimately wants to fulfill orders for future Apple products The Elec.
OLED displays for iPads and MacBooks
The Elec had previously reported that Apple plans to launch its first iPad Pro models with OLED displays in 2024, saying Samsung would make the displays for those models on one of its existing production lines.
Samsung’s future production line is said to be located in a different factory and capable of producing OLED displays big enough for notebooks, paving the way for a MacBook Pro with an OLED display. The first OLED MacBook could therefore come onto the market in 2025 or later.
Apple transitioned its iPad and MacBook lines to mini-LED displays last year, and OLED would be the next step. Unlike mini-LED displays, OLED panels use self-illuminating pixels and don’t require a backlight, which could improve contrast ratio and help extend battery life in future iPad and MacBook models. Apple already uses OLED displays for its latest iPhones and all Apple Watch models.
Will the first OLED iPad come in 2023?
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year suggested that the first OLED iPad would launch as early as 2022, but later said that plan had been postponed. If Kuo is right, the first OLED iPad could possibly be launched as early as 2023. Samsung is supposed to supply Apple with OLED panels from 2024, but LG Display could step in first. For the LG displays, the iPad Air would be a hot candidate.
Meanwhile, Apple is rumored to be planning more devices with mini-LED displays, including a new 27-inch monitor that could essentially match the Studio Display Pro.