Apple iPad Mini 7 2024
Back in October, Apple revealed the budget-minded iPad Mini 7 with some solid upgrades, including an A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. Meanwhile, the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display remained unchanged from the previous generation, leaving some potential customers disappointed - especially with some buyers claiming that the jelly scrolling issue is not entirely fixed.
While rumors of an iPad Mini with an OLED display have been swirling for months, it seems that the product might finally make its way to the market in 2026. A leaked roadmap by market research firm Omdia (via @Jukanlosreve) suggests that Apple might launch an OLED iPad Mini in 2026 or 2027. The panel's frame rate reportedly sits at 60Hz. The alleged roadmap has also been approved by prominent display supply chain analyst Ross Young.
Prediction for Apple transition to OLED panels
OLED panels have always been a luxury perk for Apple, and only premium products could get one. However, Omdia's alleged roadmap suggests that Apple could bring OLED panels to more products, including 11 and 13-inch iPad Air models in 2027-2028.
Moreover, 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models could also feature OLED panels as soon as 2026, with the potential of a foldable MacBook on the horizon for 2027-2028. Finally, 13.8 and 15.5-inch MacBook Air models could start using OLED panels in 2028.
As the roadmap suggests, Apple could complete its transition to OLED panels by 2030 and ditch LCD from its product lineups. OLED panels could bring better picture quality to Apple products and help make them thinner, which has become a recent obsession for Apple with the iPhone 17 Slim/Air.
Ultimately, one thing in Omdia's roadmap stirs our curiosity, alluding to a foldable 18.8-inch tablet/note PC/monitor for 2028 and later. The product's details remain uncertain, but the list suggests it could also feature an OLED panel. Is it a foldable iPad or a MacBook? Only time will tell.