Apple Tipped to Equip Purported 12.9-inch iPad Air Model With Mini LED Screen

Apple is reportedly working on a new iPad Air model that will arrive in 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch display sizes, according to recent reports. Details of the display technology on the larger 6th generation iPad Air model have now been leaked online, a month before it is expected to be unveiled by Apple. Ross Young, CEO and Co-Founder of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) has revealed that the purported 12.9-inch iPad Air will have a better display than its smaller sibling.

The rumoured 12.9-inch iPad Air model will be equipped with a Mini LED screen, Young claims in a post on X (formerly Twitter). This is a notable upgrade from the IPS LCD panel users on the 10.9-inch iPad Air (5th Gen) model (Review) that is currently sold by Apple. Mini LED screens will offer vastly improved picture quality compared to LCD panels, in terms of brightness and power consumption.

According to Young, Apple is planning to utilise Mini LED panels that were left over from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro models on the larger upcoming iPad Air models. Previous reports have suggested that the company’s next generation iPad Pro models will be equipped with OLED screens for the first time.

While this means that the larger iPad Air (6th Gen) variant is likely to arrive with a major display upgrade, it’s currently unclear whether the 10.9-inch model will sport an IPS LCD screen. This is because Apple’s smaller iPad Pro model is equipped with a slightly larger 11-inch screen.

The company could also increase the display size of the smaller iPad Air to repurpose leftover Mini LED panels, but we’ll have wait until the company unveils its next iPad models to learn more about their specifications.

This year’s iPad Air models are also tipped to debut with a landscape-oriented camera that will allow users to take video calls while the iPad is horizontal, unlike previous models. Apple is expected to launch new iPad Air and iPad Pro models in May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.