iPad Pro Said to Adopt OLED Displays in Late 2021 Following Mini-LED Model in Early 2021

Korean website The Elec today claimed that Apple plans to release at least one iPad Pro model with a Mini-LED display in the first half of 2021, as has been widely rumored for many months, but the report added an interesting new twist.

ipad pro display apple pencil
Following the release of the first iPad Pro model with Mini-LED backlighting in the first half of 2021, The Elec claims that Apple plans to release new iPad Pro models featuring OLED displays in the second half of the year. Samsung and LG are already in the process of developing the OLED displays for the iPad Pro, according to the report.

Many of the rumors to date have claimed that Mini-LED backlighting may be limited to a new high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro launching around March, so it is possible that the rest of the iPad Pro lineup will continue to use traditional LCDs until they are upgraded with OLED displays later in the year, but the roadmap is unclear at this point.

Mini-LED and OLED displays share many of the same benefits over traditional LCDs, including higher brightness, improved contrast ratio, and increased power efficiency. Apple already uses OLED technology for most recent iPhones and the Apple Watch.

Apple last refreshed the iPad Pro in March 2020, but it was a relatively minor update, with new features including an A12Z Bionic chip that is essentially an A12X chip with an extra GPU core enabled, an Ultra Wide camera, a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality, and better sounding microphones. It was the first update to the iPad Pro since the device received a major redesign in October 2018.

Update: Noted display analyst Ross Young has disputed the claim with a simple "Nope."

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Waiting for the Perfect MacBook Pro? 2026 Might Be the Year

Thursday April 10, 2025 4:19 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: New iOS 19, iPhone 17, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 Leaks

Friday April 11, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we catch up on the latest iOS 19 and watchOS 12 rumors, upcoming devices, and more. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Detailed new renders from leaker Jon Prosser claim to provide the best look yet at the complete redesign rumored to arrive in iOS 19, showing more rounded elements, lighting effects, translucency, and...
top stories 2025 04 12

Top Stories: iOS 19 and iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, Siri Revamp Turmoil, and More

Saturday April 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
It was a big week for leaks and rumors in the Apple world, with fresh claims about iOS 19, the iPhone 17 Pro, and even the 20th anniversary iPhone coming a couple of years from now. Sources also spilled the tea on the inner turmoil at Apple around the Apple Intelligence-driven Siri revamp that has seen significant delays, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iOS ...
iPhone 16e Feature

iPhones, Macs, and Other Apple Devices Exempted From Trump Tariffs

Saturday April 12, 2025 9:44 am PDT by
Apple and other electronics manufacturers have received a break from Trump's reciprocal tariffs, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency sharing a long list of products excluded from the levies last night. iPhones, Macs, iPads, Apple Watch, and other Apple devices will not be subject to the 125 percent tariffs that have been put in place on imported Chinese goods, nor will Apple...

Top Rated Comments

DHagan4755 Avatar
57 months ago
That makes no sense.
Score: 76 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
57 months ago
Not sure this makes any sense at all.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
57 months ago
Hmm... I think communication broke down during this rumour.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
57 months ago
This is the worst rumour I have ever heard. This will not be happening.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
57 months ago
That makes no sense. Why bother with the interim step of miniLED if they are willing to go to OLED? And if the plan was to go to OLED, they could have done it already. And why two new display techs in the same year.

Seems very false.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Moonjumper Avatar
57 months ago
And then AMQLED (electroluminescent quantum dots) from BOE in early 2022? But seriously, I don't expect two screen technology changes to the same product range in a year (product range meaning iPads, not specific models).
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)