The iPad Air's OLED upgrade is now rumored to arrive in 2026, instead of 2028

The iPad Air might get OLED displays much sooner than expected, with a new report suggesting it could happen as early as 2026. Currently, only the iPad Pro has an OLED screen, while the iPad Air and other models use older LCD technology.

According to The Elec, Samsung Display is likely to be chosen as the main supplier of OLED panels for the iPad Air. This update would arrive years earlier than previously predicted, as an earlier forecast suggested OLED iPad Airs wouldn’t come until 2028.

If true, this means the iPad Air could get high-contrast, vibrant OLED screens much sooner. While the iPad Pro uses a Tandem OLED setup, the iPad Air may use a more standard OLED panel.

The report also hints that other products, like the iPad mini and iPhone Fold, could also get OLED screens in 2026. Although The Elec is reliable for supply chain news, it’s less accurate about unreleased product details. Still, this report seems likely given Apple’s growing OLED production.