Apple is preparing to expand the OLED revolution in its tablet lineup, and the next target is the iPad Air. According to a report by the Korean media outlet ET News, citing industry sources, the tech giant plans to implement the advanced displays in the Air models as early as the beginning of 2027. The move comes after in March 2026 the company updated the series with the M4 chip, but chose to keep the familiar LCD technology.
Samsung Display is expected to begin mass production of the new panels around the end of 2026 or in January 2027. For users, the meaning is a significant leap in viewing quality: While the current Liquid Retina displays are based on limited LCD technology, the OLED panel allows individual control of each pixel. The result is deeper blacks, higher color accuracy, improved contrast and faster response times, alongside greater design flexibility for the device itself.
However, it is important to note that this is not full alignment with the more expensive iPad Pro models. While the Pro models are equipped with LTPO panels with two layers (Two-stack), the iPad Air is expected to use an LTPS panel with only one layer. This choice suggests that the display may be less bright compared to the flagship model, and more importantly – will likely continue to lack ProMotion technology, which will leave the refresh rate at only 60Hz compared to the smooth 120Hz of the Pro models.
The move in the iPad Air is part of a broader strategy by Apple to abandon LCD. Persistent rumors in the industry indicate that the iPad mini 8 will also adopt an OLED display during the current year, similar to the specification planned for the Air. Once these two models complete the transition, the entry-level iPad will be the only model in Apple’s lineup to remain with the old display technology, marking the end of an era in the company’s tablet screens.