Apple accelerates OLED upgrade: iPad mini may switch screens as early as next year, MacBook Air upgrade will have to wait three years

Media reports indicate that Apple is preparing to make significant adjustments to its MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPad Air series, planning to equip these devices with higher-end displays.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is testing new versions of three products, all featuring OLED screens. Compared to the current LCD displays, OLED technology can present more vibrant colors and deeper contrasts. Among them, the iPad mini may be the first model to receive an upgrade, with the OLED version expected to launch as early as next year.

OLED Screens May Lead to Price Increases

The media states that this move is part of Apple's broader transition to OLED technology, providing consumers with new reasons to upgrade their devices. Although sales of Macs and iPads are expected to grow this year, they will still be below the peaks seen during the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, when remote work drove a surge in computer sales.

However, this transition is also expected to bring higher prices. The upgraded iPad mini, codenamed J510, may see a price increase of up to $100 due to the use of more expensive display technology. Apple is also testing a redesigned body with waterproof features, matching the recent iPhone design.

As part of the waterproof design, Apple is exploring a new speaker system that uses vibration-related technology. This would allow the company to eliminate speaker openings, preventing water ingress. This design differs from the iPhone's waterproof method, which retains openings but uses gaskets and adhesives to prevent water damage.

The last update to the iPad mini was at the end of 2024, when it was equipped with a faster processor and supported the Apple Intelligence platform.

However, these upgrade plans have not been finalized and may still be changed or delayed, which is quite common in Apple's product development process. For example, media previously reported that Apple originally planned to launch an 18-inch foldable iPad, but the project's release date has recently been pushed back to 2029.

The next-generation iPad Air, expected to be released in spring next year, will continue to use LCD displays, but Apple plans to transition to OLED technology in the subsequent generation. The iPad Pro, released last May with the M5 chip, has already adopted OLED.

Currently, the iPad Air will become the last model in Apple's tablet lineup to transition to OLED. At least for now, Apple has no plans to upgrade the entry-level iPad to OLED.

MacBook Pro's Next Update Will Use OLED

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro will become the first Mac computer to feature an OLED screen in its next design update. Apple has also begun developing early versions of an OLED MacBook Air, but this upgrade is not expected to materialize until after 2028. Apple plans to add the M5 chip to the existing MacBook Air models in spring 2026, while still retaining the LCD screen Currently, the entire industry’s transition to OLED is still in its early stages. Most tablets and laptops still rely on LCD display technology, with only a few high-end models, such as the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11, adopting OLED.

Apple first used OLED in its products with the Apple Watch in 2015, and then introduced this technology to smartphones with the iPhone X in 2017.

Earlier this year, Apple stopped selling its last non-OLED iPhone model, which was replaced by the iPhone 16e after the iPhone SE. The Vision Pro headset also uses a display technology known as micro-OLED