Apple's 2027 iPad Air to Feature OLED Screen by Samsung: Major Upgrade, Competitive Pricing Expected

Apple is gradually transitioning its tablet lineup to OLED panels. According to the latest industry data, the next in line is the iPad Air, which is scheduled for release in 2027.

Start of production and timelines

According to ETNews, citing its sources from the supply chain, Samsung Display will begin mass production of OLED panels for the iPad Air at the end of this year or in January 2027. The device itself is expected to be introduced in the first half of 2027, likely in March or May.

Technological features

Unlike the top iPad Pro models that use the expensive Tandem OLED technology (dual-layer structure), the future iPad Air will get more affordable yet quality matrices, which use:

• a single-layer OLED panel (Single Stack) to reduce production costs;
• LTPS technology, which uses low-temperature polycrystalline silicon to control the pixels;
• a hybrid substrate — a combination of rigid and flexible components to maintain a thin device profile.

It is expected that by using a simplified OLED architecture, Apple will be able to maintain a competitive price for the iPad Air while significantly improving the contrast and color rendering of the device compared to current LCD displays.

Complete transition to OLED

With the update of the iPad Air, almost the entire current lineup of Apple tablets will transition to OLED. Previously, in 2024, iPad Pro models (11 and 13 inches) received the modern matrix, followed by iPad mini and MacBook Pro in the update schedule.

Industry experts predict that demand for OLED panels for tablets will grow from 11 million units in 2025 to 21 million in 2027, with Apple accounting for about two-thirds of this volume. For Korean display manufacturers, such as Samsung Display and LG Display, this means long-term order growth and strengthened market positions in premium gadgets.

Source: ETNews