WORLDTECHSamsung Display set to supply most OLED panels for next iPad Air
According to a report by Notebookcheck, Samsung Display is expected to supply most of the OLED panels for Apple's 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models, which are due next year. The change would make Samsung Display the largest OLED supplier to Apple next year.
Panel suppliers and expected volumes
The report says Apple is expected to ship 4 to 5 million units of the upcoming iPad Air, with some OLED panels coming from Samsung Display and others from China's BOE. Samsung Display, a unit of the electronics company based in Suwon, would supply the majority of the panels.
Korean industry sources cited in the same reporting put the first OLED iPad Air models in the first half of 2027. Those sources also put 2027 OLED shipment outlooks at 3 to 4 million units for the iPad Pro and 4 to 5 million units for the iPad mini.
Why the iPad Air is changing
The iPad Air is currently the only model in Apple's tablet lineup without an OLED screen. The latest iPad Pro and iPad mini already use OLED displays, while the current 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air use LCD panels.
The report also says sales of the iPad Pro models have been sluggish for the past three years. It adds that an earlier OLED shipment target of 10 million units was not met, with the target for 2026 and 2027 set considerably lower at 3 to 4 million.
Open questions
- Will Apple confirm the iPad Air OLED timing and supplier split?
- Will the first half of 2027 timeline hold for the 11-inch and 13-inch models?