Apple plans to launch a 12.9-inch and 11.0-inch OLED iPad in Tandem around 2024, according to south Korean media outlet TheElec. LG Display will be involved in the development of both OLED iPad panels, while Samsung Display will only be involved in the development of the 11.0-inch model.
Apple plans to use two cascading OLED panels for future iPad models. The first ipads with OLED panels are expected in 2024. Apple also plans to use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin film transistors (TFT) on these panels.
The new panels are twice as bright and last four times longer than single-layer OLED panels.
Meanwhile, LTPO TFT is the technology currently widely used by apple and Samsung in OLED panels for flagship smartphones, offering a variable refresh rate of 120Hz.
LG Display's involvement in both models gives it an edge over Samsung in Apple's supply chain of Display panels for the iPad.
This is different from the iPhone's Display panel supply chain, where Samsung Display dominates and LG Display and Chinese rival BOE are catching up.
LG Display is likely to handle more iPad OLED projects as it has more experience than Samsung Display in making OLED panels with two-layer series structures.
LG Display has been using two-layer series structures for OLED panels produced for automotive applications for years.
Samsung Display is just starting to develop its own two-layer tandem architecture technology.
For now, both Samsung Display and LG Display plan to use their existing 6th generation (1500x1850mm) OLED production lines to manufacture these OLED panels for the iPad.
However, both companies are working on their own Gen 8.5 (2200x2500mm) production technology to accommodate larger substrates for producing these panels, which would make it more cost-effective.
