Apple’s price hikes for its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models could be as much as $160, which is quite a bit lower than had been previously predicted, according to a report by DigiTimes.
Apple’s current 11-inch iPad Pro model has a base price of $799, while the 12.9-inch model, which boasts a mini-LED display, starts at $1,099. Previous predictions have indicated that the pricing for the upcoming 11-inch OLED iPad Pro could carry a base price of as much as $1,500, while the 13-inch model might start at $1,800.
The DigiTimes report doesn’t cite a source for its $160 price hike claim, but if the report is correct, that means the base price of the 11-inch OLED iPad Pro will remain under $1,000, with the 13-inch variant starting at around $1,200 to $1,300.
The price hike, however much it turns out to be, can likely be attributed to the use of OLED panels, which Apple has not used in iPads until now. OLED panels are significantly more expensive to create than LCD panels. In addition, Apple has specific requirements for the display panels (a very thin design using a tandem-stack design), contributing to the higher cost of these OLED panels compared to others on the market.
OLED displays boast deeper blacks and more vivid colors than LED or mini-LED displays. The OLED display panels are reportedly being manufactured by Samsung and LG Display, who are rumored to be developing the special two-stack tandem OLED panels specifically for Apple.
The iPad Pro is expected to be powered by the M3 chip that Apple debuted last year. The chip is fabricated using TSMCs 3-nanometer technology and will bring substantial graphic improvements over the M2 that currently powers the iPad Pro.
