Apple to turn iPad into smart display to control home devices
Apple is reportedly working on turning its iPad into a smart display and speaker, that can work like Facebook Portal or Amazon Echo Show smart home devices.
While the large iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021) switched to a mini-LED display, the smaller models may go for OLED, the media reported.
According to Korean publication ETNews reports, Apple will make the jump with iPads coming out in 2022. Those will be the first Apple tablets not to use some kind of LCD (even mini-LED tech is LCD based).
Samsung and LG are the likely suppliers of OLED panels. They are currently working on OLED displays for the iPhone 13 (splitting the order 65/30 with BOE taking up a small 5 per cent share).
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Image quality, weight and design were reportedly the key considerations in the decision to move away from LCD, the report said.
However, while phone-sized OLED displays are produced in great numbers, tablet-sized ones are rare, it added.
Some Android tablets do use them, but Apple moves around 50 million iPads a year, so companies will have to invest into expanding the capacity of their factories.
Apple will likely start with a few models at first and add more as capacity expands.
A recent report said Samsung Display and LG Display have reportedly started producing OLED panels for the “iPhone 13”, with Samsung said to be creating 120Hz ProMotion displays for the Pro models.
Ahead of the launch of new iPhone models, members of Apple’s supply chain are ramping up production to meet the expected high levels of orders within the next few months.
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