While the iPad Pro may have gotten slimmer over the years, one thing hasn’t changed much since its most recent redesign: the bezels. While they’re not exactly large, the bezels have basically stayed the same since Apple dumped the home button in 2018. But that could be changing—recent reports indicate that Apple is working on implementing iPad Pro display technology that could result in slimmer bezels and an even smaller footprint.
The Elec reports that Apple is considering LX Semicon’s display driver IC (DDI) that uses LG Innotek’s chip on film (CoF). The CoF attaches the DDI to display panels through heat compression on film, which delivers the DDI’s data to the display panel. This implementation allows for tighter hardware integration, which could then allow for smaller bezels and more usable screen real estate without having to make the iPad itself bigger.
The current iPad Pro uses Samsung System LSI’s DDI. The Elec notes that LX Semicon is seeing increased competition and Apple is working to diversify its supply chain, so LX Semicon may be very accommodating to make this deal work.
The report does not clarify when this new technology will be implemented in the iPad Pro. The current M4 iPad Pro was released in May 2024, and reports have stated that the next iPad Pro may be available at the end of this year or in early 2026. So if Apple wants to implement this new DDI for the upcoming cycle, it needs to make a decision on it soon, since production would start in the next few months, so this technology is likely to debut with the M6 or M7 in 2026.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.