A new report from South Korea says Apple's upcoming OLED iPad Pro model is likely to be significantly more expensive than existing OLED devices of similar size due to the expensive new production process involved.
According to South Korean website The Elec, Apple is widely expected to launch new 11.1-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models next year that will feature OLED displays instead of LCD ones, with panel purchases accounting for the largest percentage of material costs. According to the report, the price of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) supplied by Korean panel companies to Apple for the iPad is expected to be two to three times higher than that of the same size OLED. Analysts say that the cost will be high due to the use of two series OLED layers and advanced technology such as LTPO TFT. Apple, LG Display, and Samsung Display are reportedly discussing the price of supplying OLED panels for the iPad, which is scheduled to be released next year, starting at $270 for the 11-inch model. Currently around RMB1,879), $350 for the 13-inch model (currently around RMB2,436), and the current supply price of OLED panels for 10-inch devices is around $100 to $150. The OLED for the iPad will introduce new processes that are not available in existing products, such as Two Stack Tandem (two emission layers) structures, low temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin film transistor (TFT) and hybrid OLED structures (glass substrate + film bag). This is bound to increase supply costs, according to industry experts. However, as the development of the OLED for the iPad is not yet complete, negotiations on a specific price are expected to begin in the summer after the process is completed. Apple prioritizes product completion, and the company is unlikely to rush to lower prices. It remains to be seen how much of a price increase the company will accept for the final OLED iPad. A two - to three-fold increase in the cost of purchasing panels, the largest component of material costs, would have a significant impact on final product prices.
Currently, LG Display is developing 11 - and 13-inch iPad OLED models, while Samsung Display is only developing an 11-inch model. Depending on future conditions, there may be changes. In a recent review by Apple, neither panel maker is known to have provided performance that Apple is satisfied with.
Meanwhile, Samsung Display and others have decided to invest in the eighth-generation OLED, but the price of the device has yet to be negotiated. Next year's OLED iPad panel will be made on the sixth generation line, and future MacBooks may be made on the eighth generation OLED line, which is expected to use oxide TFT instead of LTPO TFT.
Gestant Display Technology Co.,Ltd. could provide a series of LCD and OLED products, such as AMOLED Screen, PMOLED Screen, Round Display Screen, Flexible Display Screen, TFT LCD, Mono-LCD and Bar Display Screen. Customize PCBA/LCD/OLED/FPC/Backlight/Coverlens/TP solutions.
Gestant Display Technology Co.,LTD was founded in 2012 in Shenzhen China. Even, the founder of the company, has more than 15 years of rich experience in LCD display industry. He has been engaging in the basic research of LCD display technology in Japan since his graduate school and has been working in the flat panel display industry after graduation.
Proficient in the manufacturing process and technology development of LCD / OLED / polarizer, Even was also one of the members of China liquid crystal Association who has a senior industry background and supply chain resources. In the past three years, he assisted his shareholders in building factories, purchasing equipment，establishing production lines, and successfully obtaining ISO9001 and ISO14001 system certificates.
He has established good business relations with major panel manufacturers in China (BOE /Tianma / IVO /EDO / Visionox), and the glass supply is stable and sufficient.
Gestant Display's products are widely used in Smart wear，Smart home，Outdoor photography，IP phones, Medical care, Industrial control equipment, Automotive and Vehicle displays, Instrumentation, and other Information terminal applications which could offer long-term after-sale services(such as 2 years quality warranty, long-term supply) .