New iPad Pro 2021 looks set to copy the iPhone 12's best new feature

iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro (Image credit: Future)

One of the best new iPhone 12 features, as well as MagSafe and 5G, was the use of OLED displays across the whole range - even on the basic iPhone 12. That display tech is generally regarded as better than LCD, which many Apple products use, and now it seems Apple's new iPad Pro models for 2021 might make that jump too.

This comes from a report penned by The Elec, a Korean outlet, which claims the new iPad Pro for 2021 will come with an OLED screen; more than that though, apparently this display will actually be made by Samsung.

This particular OLED display is said to be geared towards reducing screen burn-in, which is when a screen can become discolored from heavy use.

OLED typically has better contrast and bolder colors than LCD, so this quality increase will be a joy to iPad Pro users who need greater color accuracy, like photo or video editors.

As with all pre-release rumors, take this with a pinch of salt, because not only could this information change, according to the report Apple might actually put out a different type of iPad Pro before the OLED one.

A mini-LED iPad Pro

We've been hearing reports of Apple making a mini-LED iPad Pro for a while - this would be a tablet with an LCD display, but using mini-LED technology to offset many of the main issues with that screen tech.

The Elec seems to think Apple could put out such an iPad Pro in the first half of 2021, before using OLED in the second half of the year.

This seems curious for two reasons. First, and most obvious, Apple likely wouldn't want to put out two iPad Pro lines in one year - they'd definitely compete with one another, and just confuse buyers. Perhaps they'll be different sizes - say, the mini-LED tablet is 12.9 inches and the OLED one is 11 inches - but that's just speculation.

Secondly, leaks had suggested mini-LED was the solution to the iPad Pro's display problems, giving a sense that this was the last port of call in the slates' screen technology. However this report seems to think it's just another stepping stone towards OLED, that Apple won't stick with long, which is contrary to what we've been hearing.

So rather than make Apple's iPad Pro plans clearer, these leaks have actually made them a little more confusing. To try and read into this, we'd imagine Apple is working on both OLED and mini-LED iPad Pro models but only one type will hit the market - but that's just a guess for now.

We'll have to wait until the mentioned release timings for these iPad Pro models to see what really happens. As the dates draw nearer, we'll bring you all the latest news and rumors, so stay tuned to TechRadar for that.

Via 9to5Mac

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.

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