Apple recently unveiled the OLED iPad Pro model, boasting an unbelievably thin design compared to its competitors and predecessors. The highlight of this year's update is the brand-new OLED display. From initial impressions, it is safe to speculate that this will be the best panel ever seen on a tablet in the market, with the OLED display on the iPad Pro capable of a refresh rate as low as 10Hz. While the OLED iPad Pro could have been equipped with an Always-On feature due to its variable refresh rate, Apple has decided to forgo it.
The tech specs page from Apple indicates that the device's refresh rate can go as low as 10Hz. This means that the OLED display will automatically adjust the refresh rate based on the content you're viewing to extend battery life. It's worth noting that the older iPad Pro also supports variable refresh rates, but unlike the new iPhone, its upper limit is 24Hz.
With this year's upgrade, the OLED upgrade for the iPad Pro will mark a new milestone for the company. However, it would be even more significant if the device features an always-on display function. According to renowned display analyst Ross Young, the new device is equipped with low-power LTPO technology, allowing for variable refresh rates with static content refreshing as low as 10Hz.
Apple may potentially lower the display frequency to 1Hz in future iterations, similar to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models. When the iPhone 13 Pro was released, Apple capped the refresh rate at 10Hz, preventing these devices from using an "always-on" feature. However, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models come with OLED panels featuring variable refresh rates, which can go as low as 1Hz.
Although the "always-on" technology is not yet available, it's exciting to see the shift from mini LED panels to OLED panels for the iPad. Apple refers to it as a tandem OLED, utilizing a stacked dual-panel approach to provide better color accuracy and make SDR content brighter. While previous models had a brightness of up to 600 nits, this year's OLED iPad Pro can boost peak brightness to 1600 nits.
