New iPad Air With OLED Leads Apple’s Three iPad Launches in 2027

Apple plans to release a new iPad Air with an OLED display, a faster iPad Pro and an updated entry-level iPad in the first half of 2027, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter on November 1, Gurman said he does not expect major iPad launches in the second half of 2027 unless one of the models slips.

The report comes days after Apple gave the iPad mini an 8.5-inch OLED display and the A20 Pro chip. That model starts at $699 in the U.S. and goes on sale November 6, according to Apple’s press release.

New iPad Air Moves to OLED

The biggest change in the 2027 lineup is reportedly the display. Gurman says the next iPad Air will switch to OLED, matching the iPad mini. The current iPad Air uses the M4 chip and a Liquid Retina LCD panel, so the move would be the Air’s most visible upgrade in years.

Supply chain reports earlier this year said the Air would use a cheaper single-stack OLED panel rather than the tandem OLED in the iPad Pro. That could keep features such as ProMotion and the highest peak brightness exclusive to the Pro. We covered that earlier report in our story on the first OLED iPad Air rumors.

Gurman did not name a chip. MacRumors expects the M5, which would keep the Air one generation behind the iPad Pro.

iPad Pro Gets a Vapor Chamber

The iPad Pro currently runs on the M5. The next model is expected to be faster, and Gurman says its key hardware change is likely to be a vapor chamber, a flat cooling plate that spreads heat away from the chip. Apple first used one in the iPhone 17 Pro. The goal is to reduce thermal throttling during long gaming sessions and on-device AI work, so the tablet can hold its top speed for longer. An M6 chip is the most likely candidate.

Entry-Level iPad Finally Gets Apple Intelligence

The basic 11-inch iPad still uses the A16 chip and is the only current iPad without Apple Intelligence support. Earlier reports say its successor will move to the A19 with 8GB of RAM, which is enough for Apple’s AI features. Apple’s N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 and the C1X modem in cellular models are also expected.

Gurman says the upgrade is overdue. Apple raised iPad prices earlier this year, citing a memory chip shortage, which pushed the entry model further above rival budget tablets. Separately, the new iPad mini’s EU energy label shows a smaller battery than its predecessor.

What It Means for Buyers

None of these models is confirmed by Apple, and timing could change. If the report holds, anyone planning to buy an iPad Air or iPad Pro now faces a choice: buy the current M4 Air or M5 Pro, or wait a few months for OLED and better cooling. For now, the only OLED iPads are the iPad Pro and the new iPad mini, which is available to pre-order.

After the iPad wave, Apple’s attention is expected to shift to the Mac, including the touch screen MacBook Pro and macOS 27.