LG Preparing Production Lines for iPad OLED Display Panels

iPad models with OLED displays appear to be ebbing closer to production, as LG Display is preparing equipment at its facilities to make OLED panels specifically for future iPads, The Elec reports.

The company is purportedly making significant adjustments to its production lines to be able to supply Apple with OLED display panels for future ‌iPad‌ models. According to the report, this is indicated by the fact that LG Display is currently moving OLED production equipment to its plant in Paju, South Korea. The movement of active equipment to another production line is very rare since it requires recalibration and risks damage during transport, sources speaking to The Elec said.

The Paju plant already houses two production lines that manufacture flexible OLED panels for the iPhone, and LG is constructing another line to add to its ‌iPhone‌ panel production capacity. A new, fourth line will manufacture rigid OLED panels. Each production line is able to make up to 15,000 panels per month.

This is the second time that the Paju plant has been reported to be central to Apple's OLED ‌iPad‌ plans. Last month, ETNews claimed that LG Display was planning to expand the Paju plant to supply panels for next-generation ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ models. Although an OLED display could come to the ‌iPad‌ for the first time next year, LG is said to be planning to start mass production of these panels at the Paju facility in 2024. This timing broadly lines up with other recent reports, which has placed the launch of the OLED ‌iPad‌ between 2023 and 2024.

LG is also not the only supplier now enacting plans to set up production lines for upcoming ‌iPad‌ models with OLED displays. China's BOE is similarly believed to be gearing up to supply OLED panels suitable for future iPad models.