For the first time since the iPad arrived in 2010, Apple has gone a full year without a new model, which means 2024 will be huge for the tablet lineup. Every model is due for a refresh, with the iPad Pro reportedly getting a brand-new OLED display for the first time.
It might not seem like a big deal because the iPad Pro already has a great display. The 12.9-inch model was the first to get a mini-LED XDR display with 2596 full‑array local dimming zones and it’s one of the best displays on the planet. But the switch to OLED is more than just pixels—it has the potential to bring the iPad Pro to the next level in three meaningful ways.
Always-on
The iPhone has had an OLED display since the iPhone X in 2017, but it didn’t get an always-on option until last year. And in true Apple fashion, it was worth the wait. The always-on display on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models is one of the best implementations we’ve seen, using elements of the customizable Lock Screen to create something that’s as unique as it is gorgeous.
Apple has positioned the iPhone’s always-on display as a Pro option with Pro display requirements: Super Retina XDR display, ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz and as low as 1Hz. Assuming the iPad Pro has the same screen tech, Apple will almost certainly bring the feature to the iPad as well, so the giant screen won’t be a blank black space anymore.
Apple
Standby mode
With the always-on display comes another feature designed to work when you’re not using your device: Standby mode. A new iPhone feature in iOS 17 that’s something of an extension of the always-on display, it turns your iPhone into a smart display when charging and in landscape mode. The iPhone 15 Pro’s always-on display makes Standby mode even better with large widgets that are always visible and easy to see from a distance.
Standby mode is nice on a desk or a nightstand, but it would be fantastic on the iPad, where it could open the door to turning Apple’s tablet into a true home hub. Google and Amazon already do something similar with their own Hub and Show devices, but Standby Mode on the iPad could create a true two-in-one device, especially when paired with a magnetic dock or stand.
Dynamic Island
Because the iPad has never had a notch, it’s always been somewhat hampered in its design since the bezels need to be a certain thickness to fit all those sensors. Along with its OLED display, the iPad Pro is expected to get a redesign for the first time since 2018.
We don’t know what the new design will look like, but I’m going to assume two things: The camera will move to the longer edge like on the 10th-gen iPad and the bezels will shrink. If that’s the case, it’s a perfect time to introduce the Dynamic Island to the iPad Pro line, bringing the creative cutout to a large screen for the first time. With the extra screen real estate, Apple could turn the Dynamic Island into a next-level productivity tool for more than just timers and scores.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.