Apple Inc. is reportedly working on new iPads and MacBooks that will feature OLED display technology.

Nikkei Asia reported the development effort today, citing multiple industry executives. Two of the sources added that Apple may build a foldable iPad. That prospective device is also likely to include OLED technology, which is already used by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Google LLC to power their respective foldable handsets.

A standard LED display comprises two layers: a layer of pixels and a backlight that provides illumination for those pixels. An OLED screen, in contrast, features only a single layer of self-illuminating pixels. This removes the need for a backlight, which makes OLED displays thinner than their LED counterparts and reduces power use.

Because of its power  and space efficiency, the technology is particularly well-suited for use in mobile devices. Apple has been shipping OLED screens with its iPhones since 2020. The company’s screens feature internally developed algorithms that adjust their brightness based on ambient light levels and reduce the risk of image persistence, a type of common display error.

According to Nikkei Asia, Apple plans to include OLED displays in next year’s high-end iPads. Bloomberg previously reported that the 2024 iPad Pro will mark the first major redesign of the tablet series since 2018. The device is expected to feature a processor from Apple’s latest M3 chip series, which is based on three-nanometer technology and includes a hardware-accelerated ray tracing feature designed to optimize display quality.

The iPhone maker is also said to be developing an OLED version of the MacBook. The laptop is expected to enter production as early as the second half of 2025.

Separately, Apple is reportedly studying the possibility of designing a foldable iPad. The device is expected to make its debut sometime after the rumored OLED version of the tablet rolls out next year. The company has reportedly not yet set a launch date for its foldable tablet.

Today’s report didn’t specify what display technology the device would use, but OLED is among the most likely candidates.

Both Samsung and Google have based their foldable devices’ displays on a specialized version of OLED called AMOLED. What sets the latter technology apart is that it integrates each of a display’s pixels with transistors designed to optimize the flow of electricity. AMOLED displays offer higher display quality than OLED screens and can be bent without causing hardware issues, which makes them suitable for use in foldable devices.

One contributor to AMOLED displays’ flexibility is that they’re thinner than panels based on earlier technologies. Practically any material can fold if it’s implemented in a sufficiently thin form factor, including the glass from which handset screens are made. The displays in Samsung’s foldable devices consist of AMOLED glass covered with a specialized polymer designed to shield it from the elements. 

Image: Apple