Just as Apple was launching their new economical 9.7" iPad with its stunning 2048x1536 resolution Retina display, Samsung wanted to get the news out that they're preparing their switch to OLED for tablets and noting that Apple is now testing for future OLED iPads.

According to a new report published today, Samsung Display is planning to start using OLEDs for tablets' displays over LCDs. It is going to gradually reduce supply of LCDs for tablets and increase supply amount of OLEDs. It is predicted that Samsung Display will ultimately use OLEDs for entire tablets' displays. Samsung Electronics has decided to use OLEDs for tablets and laptops that will be released this year. OLED tablets are likely to roll out sometime in the second half of the year.

Yet an industry analyst stated that "It will be hard for Samsung Display to aggressively increase amount of supply of OLED panels for tablets and laptops as supply of 5 and 6-inch OLED panels for Smartphones is very tight as Samsung Display starts to supply OLED panels to Apple for its iPhones sometime during first half of this year."

The report further noted that Apple is also considering using OLEDs for its iPads. There are signs that Apple is also considering the use of OLED panels for its iPads. It is heard that Apple is internally verifying performance and quality of OLEDs that will be used for tablets. When these OLEDs pass standards, there is a possibility that Apple will use OLEDs for iPads.

It was interesting to learn that Samsung Display supplied about more than 20 million LCD panels to Apple in first quarter of last year. However during first quarter of this year, it is going to supply about 600,000 panels which is only about 3% of panels that were supplied in last first quarter.

Market research company IHS also noted that the market is estimating that Samsung Display's supplies to Apple will be further reduced to a level between 300,000 and 400,000 during second half of this year.

Samsung Display has been increasing output of OLEDs for tablets and laptops since January. While it was producing 20 million to 25 million OLEDs per month during second half of last year, now it is producing about 30 million OLEDs per month after January. Both Lenovo and HP have put out 2-in-1 laptops that are equipped with OLED panels and the trend will spread across the industry over the next two years.

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