iPad Pro Delays Could Be Down to Poor OLED Panel Production Yields

[MacRumors]

OLED panel supply issues may be partly behind Apple's iPad Pro launch delay, based on reports coming out of Korea.

Apple's original plan was to rely on different OLED display suppliers for the upcoming iPad Pro models, with Samsung Display exclusively producing ~11-inch panels and LG Display responsible for the required ~13-inch panels.

The division of labor was reportedly due to changes in Apple's demand outlook for OLED iPad Pro models, as well as the unstable production capacity and yield of the two suppliers, which are both still getting to grips with Apple's requirement for new panel technologies.

Early reports suggested the new models could arrive as soon as this month. However, according to Korean news site hankooki.com, Samsung has recently faced poor yields of the ~11-inch OLED panels, and it has been unable to meet Apple's order quantity. The shortfall has led Apple to transfer some orders for the smaller panel to LG Display. The latter is subsequently expected to increase its order by hundreds of thousands of units going into next month.

Given the reallocation, LG Display is now likely to supply 60% of the panels for the upcoming iPad Pro models. The company has invested millions of dollars into its sixth-generation small- and medium-sized OLED production line, and has now passed Apple's quality control standards for the smaller panels, enabling it to take up the slack from Samsung.

Apple earlier this month ordered an initial 8.5 million OLED display panels from the South Korean suppliers. Apple's latest shipments forecast is said to have been a decrease from the 10 million units that were projected for 2024 last year.

Apple is rumored to be aiming for "unrivaled" display quality with the new iPad Pro models, which will use a tandem OLED structure. The tandem structure is a method of stacking two layers of OLED light-emitting layers. It is superior to the luminance (screen brightness) and lifespan of a single OLED structure with one light-emitting layer. The iPhone currently uses a single stack OLED display with one light-emitting layer.

Apple will now introduce new iPad Pro models alongside new iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is apparently working to "finish software for the new devices," and the iPad Pro models also need "complex new manufacturing techniques," which Gurman says has contributed to the delay.

Article Link: iPad Pro Delays Could Be Down to Poor OLED Panel Production Yields

 

[MayaUser]

you want "unrivaled" display quality you go microLed and extend from there...but since that is a no go...what Apple marketing text could be for an oled panel

two layers of OLED could mean twice the issues of oled still have...burn-in Apple somehow resolve it with iOS(with just one panel, not two), but blue pixels fading a lot quicker...now we have twice of this possibility

 

[HouseLannister]

But Samsung has no issues making OLED panels for Galaxy tablets for the last 9 years? Sure…

 

[madmin]

OLED a delay today but tomorrow will be a different story

These might not fly off the shelves after all this messing, confidence is definitely slipping

 

[kiensoy]

I rather get the Samsung panel instead of an LG one.

 

[GDF]

I rather get the Samsung panel instead of an LG one.

Not me. LG was making OLED long before Samsung and reselling to other manufacturers like Sony. Much rather have an LG, which will come in the 13 iPad Pro I will be purchasing. 🙂

 

[F23]

the updates about the launch delays are more exciting than the rumored changes to the iPad or iPadOS itself

 

[iamgalt]

But Samsung has no issues making OLED panels for Galaxy tablets for the last 9 years? Sure…

Somehow, I doubt OLED panels from 9 years ago were dual layer like Apple is requiring for the iPad. Not to mention burn-in protection features, and Apples just generally high quality standards.

 

[zombierunner]

This is unacceptable. Do better. I want iPad now. I'm ready to throw an all out tantrum.

 

[MayaUser]

Not me. LG was making OLED long before Samsung and reselling to other manufacturers like Sony. Much rather have an LG, which will come in the 13 iPad Pro I will be purchasing. 🙂

it doesnt matter who made it first , it matters who makes it better. At least this is the way you should chose with your own money
We chose better, not older

 

[MayaUser]

burn-in protection features

that is done through iOS and soon with ipadOS since iphoneX and earlier

 

[AlmightyKang]

But Samsung has no issues making OLED panels for Galaxy tablets for the last 9 years? Sure…

Based on my experience of friends with these, I suspect Samsung have somewhat lower standards than Apple do. They all seem to have duff pixels or terrible burn in after a couple of years.

 

[madmin]

This is unacceptable. Do better. I want iPad now. I'm ready to throw an all out tantrum.

Awww give them some slack, it takes two to tandem

 

[scrapesleon]

You know maybe oled wasn't the way to go on the iPad oh well hopefully they get production right or it might delay till 2025

 

[stefanovago]

you want "unrivaled" display quality you go microLed and extend from there...but since that is a no go...what Apple marketing text could be for an oled panel

two layers of OLED could mean twice the issues of oled still have...burn-in Apple somehow resolve it with iOS(with just one panel, not two), but blue pixels fading a lot quicker...now we have twice of this possibility

I know it is counter intuitive, but we actually have HALF the possibility of blue pixels fading quickly with a double layer.

 

[Melbourne Park]

I don't know the tech that LG will be supplying, but in TVs they added last year an extra layer to their panels, which lowered reflections and hence made the screens much brighter. I presume such tech would be in small panels. And in TVs, Samsung had considerably more burn in than LG OLED screens - although testers reported burn in would only affect computer users, where menus often did not change. I don't know how Apple would get around that with its always on small screens. No doubt they will though.

 

[Aiii83]

you want "unrivaled" display quality you go microLed and extend from there...but since that is a no go...what Apple marketing text could be for an oled panel

two layers of OLED could mean twice the issues of oled still have...burn-in Apple somehow resolve it with iOS(with just one panel, not two), but blue pixels fading a lot quicker...now we have twice of this possibility

It’s nice to want things when you don’t have to worry about cost, but that’s not how the world works. I’d rather have a great OLED than pay five times the price for the “best” Micro-LED.

That is of course disregarding that MicroLED in these sizes in mass produced consumer level products is unlikely to happen before about 2030~2033 according to the MicroLED Association. But you do you.

 

[lenningj]

Will this poor yield filter through to a price increase to compensate? 😕

 

[newyorksole]

omg it’s always something.

this wait is annoying, but feel like it’ll be worth it… I hope.

 

[dominiongamma]

Glad I didn’t wait for this and got a M2 pro last year

 

[gtmead09]

Another day, another iPad article. Honestly at this point the more time goes by, the more my MacBook Air M2 is turning into my go to machine.

 

[ELman]

I may wait on this for awhile. My M2 11'' has time proven display technology.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

OR, it’s right on track to meet Apple’s original delivery date of sometime in May.

 

[PeterKeller]

But Samsung has no issues making OLED panels for Galaxy tablets for the last 9 years? Sure…

This is true. And have you seen the displays on their tablets? WOW!

I got a Galaxy Tab S2 or something like that in 2015 and the display is still better than my iPad Pro M1. Also, it has a headphone jack.

No idea why Apple has been so long to adopt the AMOLED tech.

 

[Torty]

Somehow, I doubt OLED panels from 9 years ago were dual layer like Apple is requiring for the iPad. Not to mention burn-in protection features, and Apples just generally high quality standards.

High quality marketing and prices. The white spot I see on my Air 3 is more of low quality.