Apple to Begin Mass Production of Larger 12.9-inch iPad Air in 1Q24 [Kuo]

Apple is set to begin production of a new 10.9-inch iPad Air and a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air in the first quarter of 2024, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Two iPad Air models, 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch, are scheduled for mass production in 1Q24. The 12.9-inch iPad Air is an all-new model, and while it lacks mini-LED, it benefits from an Oxide backplane (the same spec as the existing mini-LED iPad Pro's), offering better display performance than the 10.9-inch iPad Air with an a-Si backplane.

In the same report, Kuo says that Apple's plans for mass production of new OLED iPad Pro models have been pushed back slightly to 1Q24–2Q24. The delay is said to be due to production issues with the OLED panels. As expected, the new iPad Pro will feature an M3 processor and improved form factor designs.


The OLED panels for the new iPad Pros will adopt the Tandem design and LTPO backplanes (the same backplanes used in the iPhone 15 Pros), outperforming the existing mini-LED iPad Pro in terms of display performance and power consumption.

Kuo suggests that Apple may increase the price of the new iPad Pro following the launch of the larger (more expensive) 12.9-inch iPad Air and the introduction of OLED. Shipments for 2024 are estimated at 6-8 million units due to potential cannibalization from the 12.9-inch iPad Air and the possible higher price.

Note: iPad Air 5 is on sale today for $99.01 off.

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