Apple to Launch OLED MacBook Pros and Upgraded MacBook Air in 2026. |
Apple's most recent MacBooks hit the market this week, featuring M3 chipsets and a new Space Black color option, while retaining a largely unchanged design. According to a recent report by industry analyst Jeff Pu, Apple is set to launch MacBooks with OLED screens in 2026.
Although the ultimate plan is to transition to micro-LED displays for MacBooks, the upcoming upgrade will first showcase OLED panels. Initially, these new displays will debut on MacBook Pros, followed by their introduction to the more affordable MacBook Air, albeit with a time lag compared to their Pro counterparts.
These OLED displays, anticipated for MacBook Pros, boast advantages over LCD and mini-LED counterparts, offering deeper blacks, a higher contrast ratio, and enhanced battery efficiency due to lower power consumption.
IT's worth noting that Apple's current 14" and 16" MacBook Pro models already feature mini-LED displays, considered an upgrade from LCD screens but not quite on par with OLED technology.
Meanwhile, the MacBook Air continues with LCDs, and Apple seems inclined to maintain this for a few more years, potentially adopting micro-LED when introduced with the MacBook Pro.
Notably, reports about OLED MacBooks aren't new, with similar claims from industry experts like Ross Young. The OLED panels for Apple's future laptops are rumored to be supplied by Samsung Display.
The shift to micro-LED displays is on Apple's roadmap, with an expected introduction in the Apple Watch Ultra in 2025, followed by integration into iPhones and iPads in the subsequent years.
While OLED offers compelling advantages, questions remain about Apple's strategy for addressing potential screen burn-in issues resulting from prolonged use.