Weak OLED iPad Pro Demand Forces Panel Supplier to Pivot to iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple supplier LG Display is adjusting its main OLED production line over concerns about lower-than-expected OLED iPad Pro demand, with the company now planning to repurpose the facility to manufacture iPhone displays, according to The Elec.

The production line currently manufactures OLED panels for tablets and PCs, but has been experiencing reduced operation rates due to sluggish demand for Apple's OLED iPad Pro models. As a result, LG Display plans to adapt it for iPhone OLED panel production.

Released in May of this year, the 11-inch and 13-inch devices marked Apple's first use of OLED technology in larger screens and were initially projected to ship up to 10 million units in 2024. However, market research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) in October significantly lowered that forecast to just 6.7 million units.

The move by LG Display means it can expand iPhone OLED panel production capacity without investing in an entirely new production line, which would cost around 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion). The existing OLED line, which cost 3.4 trillion won to build, can be adapted with minimal modifications.

The benefits of OLED technology include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, and improved power efficiency for longer battery life. The main technical difference between iPad and iPhone OLED panels lies in their construction: iPad displays use glass substrates with thin film encapsulation (TFE), while iPhone panels utilize a polyimide substrate with TFE and feature a single emission layer instead of two.

According to the Taiwanese report, LG Display aims to maintain sufficient iPad OLED inventory through February while seeking Apple's approval for the production line modification. The company has set an ambitious target to supply 70 million iPhone OLED panels in 2024, up from mid-60 million units last year and 51.8 million units in 2023.

Apple is said to be working on an OLED version of the iPad Air, with a potential release in 2026. However, due to sluggish sales of OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models, the ‌iPad Air‌'s switch from LCD to OLED could be delayed by more than a year, according to DSCC. Apple's 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are expected to switch from mini-LED to OLED as early as 2026.

Article Link: Weak OLED iPad Pro Demand Forces Panel Supplier to Pivot to iPhone

 

[jayducharme]

I have the new OLED iPad Pro and I honestly can’t tell much difference from my previous iPad Pro. The screen is fine, but certainly not as vivid as I expected. I suspect two things might have impacted sales: the higher cost of the new iPad and the fact that older iPads still work just fine.

 

[Tripps9000]

Well to be honest a lot of people are not going to spend there money on a oled iPad when you are trying to survive these days and you can buy a older iPad pro for cheaper that have nice non oled screens🤣

 

[theanimala]

I recently upgraded my 11” iPad Pro 12x to the M2 11” iPad Pro. I did not jump to the oled M4 as I didn’t want to have spend for a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil. If my existing very expensive accessories worked I would have made the jump to the M4.

 

[abatabia]

I hate to keep sounding like a broken comment record, but until iPadOS does more, there is no point in spending so much money on an iPad Pro when software wise it is the same as an iPad or iPad Air. No point.

 

[sublunar]

I have the new OLED iPad Pro and I honestly can’t tell much difference from my previous iPad Pro. The screen is fine, but certainly not as vivid as I expected. I suspect two things might have impacted sales: the higher cost of the new iPad and the fact that older iPads still work just fine.

I wonder if the battery life improvement from using OLED which has enabled thinner chassis was the point here though.

 

[Tripps9000]

I hate to keep sounding like a broken comment record, but until iPadOS does more, there is no point in spending so much money on an iPad Pro when software wise it is the same as an iPad or iPad Air. No point.

But it has pro in

I hate to keep sounding like a broken comment record, but until iPadOS does more, there is no point in spending so much money on an iPad Pro when software wise it is the same as an iPad or iPad Air. No point.

but it has pro in it’s name making it better then the regular iPad and the iPad Air😵

 

[one more]

iPad Pro is too expensive for what it is by today’s standards. Apple should have moved Air to OLED first, those would probably sell better.

 

[HumpYourWayUp]

I have the new OLED iPad Pro and I honestly can’t tell much difference from my previous iPad Pro. The screen is fine, but certainly not as vivid as I expected. I suspect two things might have impacted sales: the higher cost of the new iPad and the fact that older iPads still work just fine.

What an incredibly bad take! The motion clarity alone is out of this world on the OLED. The old diplay smeared like crazy wtih things in motion orscrolling a webpage. Thje black levels in dark scenes and so on.

Incredibly bad take LOL

 

[kevinbal]

I recently upgraded my 11” iPad Pro 12x to the M2 11” iPad Pro. I did not jump to the oled M4 as I didn’t want to have spend for a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil. If my existing very expensive accessories worked I would have made the jump to the M4.

Yup; this is the biggest issue for a lot of people, I think. M2 iPad was backwards compatible with earlier versions of the Magic Keyboard. M4 is not. That right there is a huge deterrent for many people, including myself, because of the cost factor. I need to wait another generation or so for them to start appearing on discount at places like Woot, etc, before moving to a "different" form factor.

 

[Brian_v11]

Could not agree more that iPad is a high-end toy until they do something substantial with the OS that allows for the product to:

1. function as a desktop/laptop when plugged into a monitor. Give a toolbar.
2. provide more elegant ways to save/search files
3. run equal versions of applications instead of 'apps

 

[JokoWidodo]

it's not fast enough 😠😠😠😠😠 WE NEED the M5 iPad Pro NOW !!!!

 

[dexterie]

iPadOS is the same not that useful OS, the old iPads will work well... and the M4 is very expensive. Who would have thought?

 

[jdawgnoonan]

I have a M4 iPad Pro and I love the device. However, if I could have bought the same specced iPad with the prior iPad Pro screen and Face ID I would have saved the money and not bought the OLED screen. The OLED screen, to me, is a needless expense with a very marginal benefit. I chose to buy one because I could afford it, but the previous screen was just as good to my eyes.

 

[Marty80]

I only own two Apple devices a iphone 12 pro max & a 16” macbook pro m1 max. I have no interest in tablets, vr & desktops.

 

[zombierunner]

Please don't revert to LCD

 

[Antes]

I honestly love this screen but I do think the iPad Pro is way overpriced. The lineup is also confusing as spending more means buying different more expensive accessories

 

[Schnort]

I hate to keep sounding like a broken comment record, but until iPadOS does more, there is no point in spending so much money on an iPad Pro when software wise it is the same as an iPad or iPad Air. No point.

I went on a trip this past week and forgot my iPad, but brought my M1 Macbook Air that I barely use (bought cheap/refurbished for LEGO robotics for the kid) and I was extraordinarily frustrated my macbook didn't have a touch screen when trying to use it as a media consumption device.

Yes, I get as desktop, touchscreen is pretty useless (and I want to strangle anybody who touches my screen), but as a mobile device, it's super duper helpful.

I certainly would welcome a merging of the iPad/MacOS/AppleTV products and have each of the forms of interaction be a 'mode' or something like that.

I know it's more complicated than that, but as a consumer, I'd like my macbook to also work like an iPad does, and I'd like to be able to access streaming like my AppleTV does while I'm on the go.

 

[brofkand]

People are sick of Apple’s training wheels OS.

 

[Sippincider]

I hate to keep sounding like a broken comment record, but until iPadOS does more, there is no point in spending so much money on an iPad Pro

Esp. when a 15" 2TB MacBook Air and a 13" 2TB iPad Pro are the exact same price.

 

[phenste]

"kinda surprised OLED iPad demand is lackluster" I say as I suddenly have the budget and yet, no desire to buy one…iPadOS is truly disappointing these days

 

[ELman]

Get rid of Pulse-width modulation (PWM) and I'll buy one. I had to return my Pro M4 because of this.

 

[CrazyMacUser]

I wanted to upgrade to the new iPad Pro 2024, but since there is no Smart Folio keyboard for it, I am sticking with my previous iPad Pro. I think Apple is missing the point of portability with the new iPad Pro if it is only giving users the new Magic Keyboard as option. I don't want another laptop, I want something light that I can use to read AND type easily whenever I want.

 

[Kirkster]

For me it was all about the landscape camera package. The M4 was just a bonus.

 

[decimortis]

And here I am still using my iPad Air 2 from 2014. Of course, I use it like a grandma and a little bit on the treadmill too, but as long as it still turns on and opens YouTube I have no reason to upgrade. I suspect a lot of grandma-adjacent users like me have no need to update iPad models so often.