OLED displays might be coming to the iPad Air and Mini as early as 2026

The M4 iPad Pro is the first device in the iPad lineup to feature an OLED display. In comparison, the iPad Air and Mini have always been equipped with LCD Liquid Retina displays, which lack the kind of enhanced contrast and deeper blacks that OLED displays provide. This is not surprising, given that the iPad Pro is one of Apple’s top-tier devices, so it’s equipped with the best-in-class tech. But per recent rumors, things might soon change.

According to The Elec, both the iPad Air and Mini might get OLED displays as early as 2026. This is welcome news, given that previous reports suggested a timeline closer to 2028 for this upgrade. The reporting outlet even goes on to specify that Apple could use Samsung as its supplier for OLED panels. We’re unsure whether the two devices will have tandem OLED, but given their lower price points, we’re unlikely to see this advanced form of OLED tech in the base models.

If history is any indication, Apple is likely to approach this upgrade like it did with the iPhone. The Cupertino tech giant introduced OLED displays in the iPhone X way back in 2017. However, the base models continued to feature LCD screens. This changed with the launch of the iPhone 12, which saw the OLED display become standard across all variants. That said, the Pro versions continued to boast some advanced features, which helped set these phones apart from the base models.

This is likely to happen in the case of the iPad Air and Mini as well. While the two devices might adopt the OLED technology that is currently reserved for the iPad Pro, they’ll likely miss out on a few advanced features to maintain their lower price point.