Apple is expected to replace the LCD screens in both sizes of the iPad Air with OLED displays in the first half of 2027, according to DigiTimes.
An OLED iPad Air has been rumored for over a year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in October 2025 that Apple was developing one and that it was unlikely to arrive before 2027. He narrowed that window to the first half of 2027 earlier this month. The latest report adds shipment estimates and details on how panel orders could be split.
Samsung Display is expected to supply most iPad Air panels. BOE is seeking orders for one of the two sizes and still needs to qualify as a supplier. With orders for the iPad Air and iPad mini, Samsung could become Apple's largest supplier of OLED iPad panels overall, while LG Display is expected to retain the lead for the iPad Pro.
Industry estimates cited by DigiTimes put 2027 shipments at 4 million to 5 million units each for the iPad Air and iPad mini, and 3 million to 4 million for the iPad Pro. The iPad Air and iPad Pro estimates each cover both screen sizes. 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.
Both sizes of the current M4 iPad Air use LCD screens. The move to OLED would make the iPad Air Apple's third iPad line to adopt the technology, following the iPad Pro in 2024 and the 8.5-inch iPad mini that went on sale November 6.
According to DigiTimes, the iPad Air is expected to use the same single-stack OLED design and low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) backplane as the iPad mini. The iPad Pro uses two light-emitting stacks to boost brightness and reportedly uses a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) backplane.
LTPO's oxide transistors help pixels hold their charge longer between refreshes, so the display can save power by refreshing less often when the image is still. The iPad Pro's ProMotion display can vary its refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz. DigiTimes previously reported that the OLED iPad Air would stick with 60Hz, leaving ProMotion exclusive to the iPad Pro in Apple's tablet lineup.
