2024 OLED iPad Pros could cost MacBook Pro money and then some

Buying a new iPad Pro could be about to get very expensive indeed, with a new report suggesting that the upcoming OLED refresh will see prices increased to new heights.

Apple is expected to start shipping new iPad Pro tablets with OLED displays in 2024, but it’s now being said that the move to such technology could mean Apple increasing its prices to pay for it.

A new report by The Elec, citing industry sources, suggests that Apple could increase the price of the 11-inch iPad Pro to around $1,500, while the 12.9-inch models would increase to $1,800. For comparison, they currently retail for $799 and $1,099 respectively.

To put those new prices into perspective, it’s worth taking a look at the U.S. pricing for Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro powered by the latest M2 chip. That now sells for a starting price of $1.299 which makes both of the rumoured OLED iPad Pro prices even more galling.

The increased selling price is thought to be thanks to the extra costs associated with putting OLED panels together, with the report saying that Apple will have to pay up to $200 more for its OLED panels than would be the case for other OLED offerings. That’s all down to Apple’s exacting specifications, we’re told.

Apple will have to decide whether the switch to OLED displays is worth the extra cost, as will those who want to buy the tablets further down the line. OLED technology would allow Apple’s displays to be thinner than current ones, while improved images can also be expected thanks to better contrast and black levels than the current LED and mini-LED solutions.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is that trying to sell an 11-inch iPad Pro for more than a 13-inch MacBook Pro could be difficult for Apple, especially if iPadOS 17 doesn’t improve in ways that make it more compelling to power users who are willing to spend such sums on their tablets.