Apple Said to Introduce OLED iPad Mini and iPad Air by 2026

According to a report by ZDNET Korea, Apple has made requests to its suppliers for OLED display panels for future models of the iPad mini and iPad Air (via MacRumors).

Samsung Display has already commenced the development of 8-inch OLED panels for Apple’s next-generation iPad mini. This development reportedly began last month, with plans to ramp up to mass production in the second half of 2025 at Samsung’s Cheonan facility.

Samsung’s involvement in this project is also evident within its supply chain in Korea. Notably, Samsung already provides OLED panels for Apple’s latest iPad Pro, which utilize a tandem design to enhance brightness and power efficiency

In addition to the iPad mini, Apple plans to incorporate OLED panels into the iPad Air as well. This simultaneous upgrade to OLED technology for both the iPad mini and iPad Air is anticipated to occur in 2026.

While research firm Omdia predicts that the iPad Air will receive OLED treatment in 2026 with the iPad mini following in 2027, Korea’s ET News aligns with ZDNET’s report, suggesting that both models will adopt OLED displays at the same time in 2026.

However, there is some speculation that the transition to OLED for the 13-inch iPad Air might be delayed until 2027.

The shift to OLED displays is expected to bring notable enhancements to the iPad mini and iPad Air. OLED technology offers superior color accuracy, deeper blacks, and better overall contrast compared to traditional LCD panels.

Despite these advancements, the upcoming iPad mini and iPad Air models might not feature the two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panels used in the iPad Pro.

The anticipated OLED iPad mini might also see an increase in screen size, growing from the current 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches. Meanwhile, the OLED iPad Air is expected to retain its 11-inch display size.