What you should know
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- Apple has ordered 8.5 million OLED panels for the new iPad Pro (2024) models, marking the first time iPads will feature OLED displays, known for their superior color accuracy, deeper blacks, higher contrast ratios, and lower power consumption.
- The OLED panels for the upcoming iPad Pro models will be supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display, with Samsung producing 4 million panels for the 11-inch model and LG producing 4.5 million panels for the 12.9-inch model.
- Apple is investing $2.9 billion in OLED panels, with costs of $290 per panel for the 11-inch displays made by Samsung Display and $390 per panel for the 12.9-inch displays produced by LG Display.
- Alongside the new iPad Pro (2024) series, Apple is also expected to introduce the iPad Air (2024) this month, including a new 12.9-inch LCD model variant.
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Full Story
Oh boy, have you heard the latest? Apple’s stirring the tech pot again, big time. They’ve gone and placed a massive order for 8.5 million OLED panels. Yep, you read that right. These are for the upcoming iPad Pro (2024) models that are set to drop sometime this month. Talk about making waves!
Now, for those who’ve been living under a rock, these aren’t just any tablets. We’re talking the crème de la crème, the 11-inch and, wait for it, the 12.9-inch (or is it 13-inch? The jury’s still out on that one) models. And guess what? They’re gonna be the first in the iPad family to boast OLED displays.
Why OLED, you ask? Simple. These screens are like the Ferraris of displays. Think more accurate colors, deeper blacks, and contrast that’ll make your jaw drop. Not to mention, they’re kinder to your battery. But, (and it’s a big but), they’ll probably make your wallet cry. Brace yourselves for some serious sticker shock when these babies hit the shelves.
Here’s the scoop on the supply side: Apple’s initial order was for a whopping 10 million panels. But, plot twist, they’ve scaled it back to 8.5 million. Still, that’s a lot of panels, folks. Enough to keep the iPad Pro assembly lines buzzing all the way to New Year’s.
Flashback to 2022, and it was all about LCD panels for the iPad Pro series. Oh, how times have changed.
Diving deeper into the details, it looks like Samsung Display and LG Display are the chosen ones. They’ll be splitting the 8.5 million panels between them. Samsung’s on the hook for 4 million panels for the 11-inch model, while LG’s tasked with 4.5 million for the 12.9-inch behemoth.
And the price tag? Hold onto your hats. Apple’s shelling out $290 for each 11-inch display from Samsung and a whopping $390 for the 12.9-inch screens from LG. When you do the math, that’s a cool $2.9 billion on OLED panels alone. Talk about a shopping spree.
Now, there was some chatter about China’s BOE getting in on the action. They’ve supplied OLED panels for iPhones in the past. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. They’re sitting this round out, with no OLED panels for the new iPad Pro (2024) models coming from them.
But wait, there’s more! Apple’s not stopping at the iPad Pro (2024). Rumor has it, the iPad Air (2024) is also getting ready to step into the spotlight this month. And get this: for the first time ever, there’ll be two iPad Air models. One’s sticking with the traditional 10.9-inch LCD screen, while the other’s going big with a 12.9-inch LCD display.
Phew, that’s a lot to take in. Apple’s definitely not pulling any punches this year. Stay tuned, folks. This is gonna be interesting.
