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Apple is planning to give the iPad Air an OLED screen in both sizes. The 11-inch and 13-inch models are expected to switch in the first half of 2027, according to a new DigiTimes report. That would end LCD screens in the iPad Air line.
Apple has not confirmed the timing or the specs. Industry estimates say it could ship 4 million to 5 million iPad Air units in 2027.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had already said Apple was working on an OLED iPad Air for 2027. The new report backs that up and adds details on who will make the panels.
Samsung Display is expected to make most of the OLED panels for the new iPad Air. BOE, a Chinese screen maker, wants a share of the orders for one of the two sizes. But BOE must first pass Apple's supplier checks before it can get any production orders.
This is good news for Samsung. It already supplies OLED panels for the iPad mini. If it gets the iPad Air orders too, it could become Apple's biggest OLED supplier for iPads. LG Display is still expected to be the main supplier for the iPad Pro.
The new iPad Air is expected to use a single-stack OLED panel with an LTPS backplane. The recent iPad mini uses the same setup.
Buyers should see deeper blacks, better contrast, richer colors, and faster response than on today's LCD screens.
But the iPad Air may still lack ProMotion. The iPad Pro uses a tandem-stack OLED panel with an LTPO backplane. That lets it run at up to 120Hz. The iPad Air is said to stay at 60Hz, which keeps a clear gap between the two lines.
Also Read: iPad Air vs iPad vs iPad Pro: Which Apple Tablet Should You Buy in 2026?
An OLED iPad Air would be a large screen improvement for an affordable tablet. Almost everyone would notice the enhanced color and contrast straight away. People who require a 120Hz refresh rate will still need to opt for the iPad Pro at a higher price point. Apple has not confirmed anything yet, but the first half of 2027 is a period to watch.