OLED iPad Pro manufacturing woes explained, and it's all because of that new display

Apple is holding a streamed event on July 7 and it's looking increasingly likely that the company will finally unveil the fabled OLED iPad Pro. We've been hearing rumors about this table for months, and the expected release date for it has continually been pushed back amid concerns about delays. Now, a new report has sought to add some context as to why those delays might have cropped up.

According to a paywalled DigiTimes report, picked up by 9to5Mac, Apple's requirement for a new type of OLED display has continually caused issues for suppliers. The report notes that the new iPad's OLED panels use a hybrid substrate that combines the glass substrate with polyimide materials. It's thought that this combines the advantages of both flexible plastic substrates and rigid glass substrates, all the while eliminating the issues associated with both. Essentially, buyers get the best of both worlds.

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Apple is also set to use two-stack tandem technology for these displays, a first for the company. DigiTimes explains that this means that two OLED layers are stacked, as the name suggests, playing a high refractive index charge generation layer (CGL) in between them to connect the two organic light-emitting layers. The upshot? Making these displays is harder than making the other OLED displays Apple has used in the past.

Previous reports had suggested that LG Display and Samsung Display have been tasked with producing the OLED panels that will be used in the new iPhones. It had previously been suggested that the 11-inch display in particular has been problematic, leaving supply chain analyst Ross Young to warn that sock levels of the smaller iPad Pro will be limited.

While the move to an OLED display is a key differentiator for the new iPad Pro, it won't be the only change. Apple is set to upgrade the existing M2 chip to something more modern, although which chip that will be isn't yet clear. There was an original expectation that Apple would use the M3 chip, recently debuted in the Mac and the latest generation on offer. However, recent reports by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have suggested that Apple could surprise everyone by bringing the first M4 chips to the iPad Pro lineup. The M4 is later expected to be used in a refreshed Mac lineup, but the first M4 Mac isn't expected to debut until much later in the year.

Alongside the new iPad Pro Apple is also expected to announce a refreshed iPad Air lineup with the first 12.9-inch model being added to the mix.