Today, Ming-Chi Kuo released his latest report, stating that assembly manufacturers will start mass production of mini LED iPads in mid-to-late April. iPads will use both mini LED and OLED screens in 2022.
Ming-Chi Kuo pointed out in his report that the MacBook is the most important application scenario for mini LED screens, while the iPad focuses on high-end models. The new MacBook Air is expected to adopt a mini LED screen in 2022, while only high-end iPad models will use a mini LED screen.
The report suggests that after MacBook adopts Apple’s self-developed chips, its product competitiveness will significantly increase, and the shipment growth in the coming years is expected to outperform that of the iPad. It is anticipated that the new MacBook Air in 2022 will also feature a mini LED display, which will help boost the adoption rate of MacBook mini LED screens. In contrast, only high-end iPad models will use mini LED screens, and the overall growth momentum may be lower than that of the MacBook.
The report predicts that future iPads will adopt both mini LED and OLED screens. The latest industry survey indicates that if iPads use OLED screens in 2022, they will be used on the lower-end iPad Air models, while the high-end iPad Pro will continue to use mini LED screens. Since the OLED used in iPads is rigid and has a lower pixel density (PPI) than the iPhone, it is easier to produce, and its cost is close to the current LCD display used in the iPad Air.
According to the report, as mini LED production costs are reduced, Apple’s high-end products will eventually adopt mini LED displays.
Ming-Chi Kuo pointed out in the report that assembly manufacturers are expected to start mass production of the mini LED iPad after mid to late April. The latest survey shows that the current production yield and quality of the mini LED iPad have met Apple’s high standard requirements.
The report predicts that the MacBook Pro with a mini LED screen will enter mass production in the second half of 2021. Since the production difficulty of MacBook mini LED screens is lower than that of iPad mini LED screens, the new MacBook Pro is expected to significantly drive shipments of mini LED screens in the second half of 2021. It is estimated that shipments of mini LED screens will reach 10 million units in 2021 and 20 to 30 million units in 2022.