The Ultra Retina XDR display on Apple’s latest iPad Pro model heralds a new era in OLED technology. This innovative display technology uses a system called “Tandem OLED” that redefines industry standards. Let’s examine what Tandem OLED is and why it is an important development.
What is Tandem OLED technology?
Tandem OLED can be defined as a technology created by placing two organic light-emitting layers on top of each other. In fact, the word tandem means ‘back to back’, ‘two rows’ or ‘one after the other’ in English.
This technology brings together two OLED pixel layers, each with their own red, green and blue (RGB) subpixels. These layers work together, or “tandem,” to achieve higher brightness levels, resulting in less organic material wear than traditional single-layer OLEDs.
The dual-layer structure of Tandem OLED enables higher brightness levels and extends the lifespan of the display in the process. This also significantly reduces the risk of burn-in that OLED displays typically experience.
For example, while small-sized OLED displays can reach 2,000 nits of brightness, larger panels use more power to reach these levels, which can negatively impact the battery life of the device and the lifespan of the display.
Tandem OLED technology eliminates these issues by providing more efficient light distribution, resulting in higher brightness with lower power consumption.
Until the 2024 iPad Pro, the iPhone was Apple’s largest device with an OLED display. While rivals like Samsung adopted OLED for their flagship laptops and tablets, Apple stuck with LCD displays for nearly a decade. Despite using mini-LED backlights on the 2022 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, these ultimately failed to deliver OLED-like results.
Mini-LED displays use hundreds or even thousands of tiny LEDs, but the rest of the display is the same as any LCD. Mini-LEDs improve black levels and greatly increase brightness, but they still can’t quite replicate the pixel-level control of OLED. When bright objects are displayed against a black background, mini-LED displays can experience a phenomenon known as “blooming.”
With enough dimming zones, mini-LED can appear nearly indistinguishable from OLED. However, OLED has many other advantages, such as instant response times and better viewing angles. With the new tandem OLED technology, Apple can deliver brightness levels and durability that are as good as its current mini-LED displays. For example, the 2024 iPad Pro can reach a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits with HDR content.
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Tandem OLED technology won’t be limited to just the Apple iPad Pro. LG Display launched Tandem OLED panels for the automotive industry in 2019 and has begun introducing the technology to the consumer electronics industry by 2024.
This means that more devices will be equipped with Tandem OLED technology in the future. What do you think? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
