OLED MacBook Pro With Thinner Design on Track for 2026 Launch
Apple's first OLED MacBook Pro remains on schedule for a 2026 release, featuring the new slimmer design Apple is rumored to be working on, based on a new report from The Elec.
Samsung Display is said to be currently producing test samples of the OLED panels on its first deposition machine, which was installed in November 2024. However, industry projections estimate just 3 to 5 million OLED panels to be shipped annually for the MacBook Pro. Given that the supplier's IT 8th-generation OLED line is designed to produce 10 million units annually (based on 14.3-inch OLED panels), the company will need to secure additional customers to maximize its production efficiency.
Previous rumors have similarly claimed the MacBook Pro will switch to OLED display technology as early as 2026. The upcoming MacBook Pro will utilize hybrid OLED technology, similar to that used in Apple's latest iPad Pro. This display technology combines a glass substrate with thin-film encapsulation, offering improved brightness, contrast, and power efficiency compared to current MacBook Pro models with mini-LED screens.
Samsung Display has reportedly invested approximately $3 billion in its IT 8th-generation OLED production line for the laptop-sized panels. Chinese display maker BOE is also developing manufacturing capabilities for hybrid OLED panels, though its production line will be more versatile, capable of producing both hybrid and flexible OLED displays.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and display industry analyst Ross Young both recently predicted that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro will continue to have mini-LED displays in 2025. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small performance boost for the 2025 MacBook Pro models, with M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips that are "already near completion."
Gurman has previously reported that Apple is working to make the OLED MacBook Pro significantly thinner, as part of the company's plan to create "the thinnest and lightest products in their categories across the whole tech industry." Indeed, the reporter has said there's a good chance that the 2026 MacBook Pro model will represent a "true overhaul" for the laptop, thanks to the combination of the OLED display and thinner design.
Popular Stories
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station.
The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM.
...
