It’s already been confirmed that Apple is working on two iPad Pro models with OLED displays, but it looks like the tablets are getting new screen sizes too. There have been plenty of reports about the OLED iPads, will all rumors pointing to a 2024 launch. At the moment, Apple is using IPS LCD panels for the iPad Pro, so the upgrade to OLED will make a significant difference to the display quality. Apple has already transitioned iPhones to OLED displays, but has been slow to make the shift with iPads and Macbooks.
Speaking to MacRumors, display analyst Ross Young has (once again) confirmed that Apple is working on two OLED iPad Pro models that will launch in the first quarter of 2024. However, there’s some new information this time around. Young says the iPads will be available in 11.1-inch and 13-inch sizes. The new sizes come as a surprise, given that Apple currently sells the iPad Pro in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes. Thanks to the slight difference in screen sizes, this could mean that the OLED iPads will feature slimmer bezels than the current models, instead of getting increased dimensions.
No New iPad Pros Till 2024
At the moment, only the 12.9-inch iPad Pro features a mini-LED backlit display. The smaller 11-inch model has a standard IPS LCD panel. Additionally, the larger iPad offers higher XDR brightness levels of 1,000 nits, going up to 1,600 nits peak brightness for HDR content. With both the 2024 models switching to OLED screens, Apple will finally be getting rid of the differences in display quality.
OLED panels should result in better contrast levels, with deeper blacks and more vibrant colors on the already pro-grade screens. The latest iPad Pro models were released in Oct. 2022 and feature Apple’s new M2 chip. This makes it unlikely that Apple will release another iPad Pro model ahead of the 2024 launch. Apple’s next iPad Pro update should have been in Oct. 2023, but this would leave less than six months before the OLED models are launched. Therefore, it seems pretty likely that Apple will shift to a first quarter release cycle for the iPad Pro starting in 2024.
A previous report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple had planned to launch a mini-LED backlit 11-inch iPad Pro model in 2022, but MacRumors confirms that this model is no longer in the works. Additionally, Young had earlier claimed that Apple was working on a larger 14.1-inch iPad Pro, but now says that this device has been scrapped too. However, a report by The Information revealed that Apple is working on an even bigger 16-inch iPad Pro model that’s slated for release in Q4 2023.
