Apple is reportedly planning to replace the LCD screens in both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air with OLED panels in the first half of 2027, according to DigiTimes. That would make the iPad Air Apple’s third iPad line to adopt OLED, after the iPad Pro in 2024 and the 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini that went on sale on November 6. The timing matches earlier reporting from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who said in October 2025 that Apple was developing an OLED iPad Air and has since narrowed the window to the first half of 2027.
| Detail | Expected iPad Air OLED | iPad Pro OLED |
| Sizes | 11-inch and 13-inch | 11-inch and 13-inch |
| OLED structure | Single-stack | Two-stack (tandem) |
| Backplane | LTPS | LTPO |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | Up to 120Hz (ProMotion) |
| Launch window | First half of 2027 | Already on sale |
The iPad Air is expected to use the same single-stack OLED design and LTPS backplane as the iPad mini, which is a simpler and cheaper approach than the iPad Pro’s panel. The Pro uses two light-emitting stacks to boost brightness, and its LTPO backplane lets the display vary its refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz to save power. DigiTimes previously reported that the OLED iPad Air would stay at 60Hz, which leaves ProMotion exclusive to the Pro. In practice, the Air would gain OLED’s deeper blacks and stronger contrast, but its panels may not match the Pro’s brightness or refresh rate.
On the supply side, Samsung Display is expected to provide most iPad Air panels. BOE is seeking orders for one of the two sizes and still needs to qualify as a supplier, and if it falls short, Samsung Display would carry the entire initial production run. With orders for both the iPad Air and iPad mini, Samsung could become Apple’s largest OLED iPad panel supplier overall, while LG Display is expected to keep the lead for the iPad Pro. Earlier Korean reporting said Samsung Display would begin mass production around the end of 2026 or January 2027.
The report also includes shipment estimates from industry sources for 2027. The iPad Air and iPad Pro figures each cover both screen sizes.
| Lineup | Estimated 2027 OLED shipments |
| iPad Air | 4 to 5 million |
| iPad mini | 4 to 5 million |
| iPad Pro | 3 to 4 million |
The iPad Pro forecast is well below its reported pre-launch target of around 10 million units per year, with industry sources pointing to the price as a factor in weaker demand.
The report doesn’t cover brightness levels, HDR performance, whether both iPad Air sizes will get identical panels, final pricing, chip or RAM changes, or an exact launch date.
M Adnan Akram is the founder and lead writer at Phoonomo, covering mobile technology with a primary focus on Samsung and the broader smartphone industry, alongside emerging developments in AI. He follows product launches, spec leaks, and industry trends closely to keep readers informed with timely updates.
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