Apple’s upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Air might feature the same mini-LED panel as the current iPad Pro rather than a typical LCD panel with a uniform backlight, according to the trusted displays analyst and the CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants Ross Young.
In a new post on X, Young states that Apple is set to use leftover inventory from the supply of mini-LED displays currently used for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Apple began using mini-LED for the larger iPad Pro in 2021. Marketed as the Liquid Retina XDR display, the technology has remained exclusive for the 12.9-inch size with the smaller 11-inch iPad Pro continuing to feature a traditional LCD panel.
Young’s information specifically signals that only the larger iPad Air will receive a mini-LED display, with the smaller 10.9-inch size expected to retain an LCD panel. Nevertheless, the mini-LED display on the iPad Air should provide customers with a much better viewing experience, especially with content consumption as it provides better contrast and higher brightness than LCD panels with a uniform backlight.
While mini-LED is unlikely to match the display performance of the OLED panels heading to the much-awaited iPad Pro, it should still be a decent upgrade compared to the LCD 10.9-inch iPad Air. The new iPad Air lineup should also be several hundred dollars cheaper than the OLED iPad Pro, especially since Apple is rumored to be planning a price hike for its premium tablet lineup to make up for the increased production costs of the OLED display.
Apple is rumored to reveal the new iPad Air alongside the OLED iPad Pro as soon as the first week of May. The new iPad Air lineup will feature a 12.9-inch size for the first alongside a performance upgrade thanks to the M2 chip. On the other hand, the iPad Pro is expected to gain next-generation OLED displays with brighter and more vibrant colors while also gaining the M3 chip powering the latest MacBooks. The iPad Air and iPad Pro could feature a landscape Face ID camera, while the latter could boast a much thinner design with slimmer bezels.
Apple will also upgrade key accessories alongside the OLED iPad Pro. The Apple Pencil will receive its first revamp in several years that could include Find My support and magnetic replaceable tips. The Magic Keyboard is also said to receive a key upgrade that could make the iPad Pro appear more laptop-like when docked.
