Apple will rely on Samsung Display exclusively for the OLED touch panels going into its redesigned MacBook Pro models, according to Korean outlet The Elec.
The 14-inch and 16-inch panels are set to be made on Samsung's 8.6-generation line at Asan, starting with an initial run of around 2.5 million units. Mass production is expected to start next month.
The report says Apple never seriously looked at LG Display or BOE, because they either had yield problems or their OLED production lines were already committed to manufacturing panels for phones and other, smaller devices. Samsung seemingly got the job by working with Apple from the start and fine-tuning its panel specifications and production process to fit.
Sourcing from a single supplier is likely costing Apple more money than its typical diversified approach. With nobody bidding against it, Samsung can presumably set the terms – panel pricing included. Displays are already among some of the priciest parts in a laptop, and a touch-capable OLED isn't going to be a cheap option.
None of which guarantees a pricier MacBook Pro, of course. Apple could choose to absorb some of those panel costs. But with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman now suggesting an early 2027 rather than late 2026 launch for these redesigned MacBook Pro models – and the way prices are rising across the electronics industry – Samsung's custom-designed OLED panels look unlikely to get cheaper anytime soon.
