Despite previous estimates that Apple would price an OLED iPad Pro preposterously high, it's now claimed that the technology will only add a slight cost premium.
Apple's 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro
This could be a case of a large increase appearing to seem small only because it comes after rumors of a ridiculously greater one. Previously the report has been that the 12.9-inch model would cost $400 more than now, at about $1,500.
Now according to Digitimes, an OLED 12.9-inch iPad Pro xwill start from around $1,259. That's an increase of $160 for the 12.9-inch model.
Digitimes has not qualified that figure, or indicated how it may have been calculated. It's also not clear what the fee increase would be for an OLED 11-inch iPad Pro, or a rumored 13-inch model.
Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) screens give superior contrast ratios, and since they do not require a separate backlight layer, also result in much thinner displays.
DigiTimes has decent sources inside Apple's supply chain. It is, however, notably worse at predicting Apple's release timetables or what it will do based on those sources. Tuesday's report fits closer to what the publication is better at, though.
Separately, in November 2023 a leak claimed to list Apple's plan for introducing OLED screens to iPad models up to 2027. It's also been reported that manufacturing of OLED panels for both the 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro was due to start in February 2024.