Rumors about OLED development for the MacBook Pro have been circulating for some time, and we're inclined to give them some credence.

Although Apple has not said anything officially, several sources claim that the Cupertino-based tech giant will eventually release a MacBook with an OLED panel. Given that these reports are unofficial, no one knows when or if these laptops will be released.

There is nothing concrete regarding the OLED MacBook Pro, but repeated rumors suggest that Apple is at least considering producing such a laptop. Below is everything we have heard so far about the OLED MacBook Pro.

According to Ross Young, CEO of research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants, the OLED MacBook Pro is coming, and in a webinar with Bloomberg's Woo Jin Ho, he claimed that these products are still at least three years away. He claimed that these products are still at least three years away.

Why so far off? According to Young, it comes down to the supply chain. It appears that it will take several years before Apple's partners will be able to mass produce laptop-sized OLED displays. Therefore, Young says, we will not see proper deployment of these new panels until 2027 at the latest.

This somewhat contradicts a 2022 report in which Young claimed that an OLED MacBook would appear in 2024; Ross also said that an OLED-equipped MacBook Pro might be available in 2026. According to this latest report, the MacBook may not have an OLED panel until 2027, but Ross still states that the first OLED iPad will appear in 2024.

In addition to the OLED MacBook Pro, there are also rumors of a possible MacBook Air laptop with an OLED panel; as it relates to the OLED MacBook Pro, we will briefly discuss that rumor here.

We reported that the MacBook Air OLED could arrive in April 2023, before the new MacBook Pro OLED, and according to The Elec (via MacRumors), Samsung Display is planning to produce a 13.4-inch OLED for the next MacBook Air model is developing a 13.4-inch OLED panel for the MacBook Air.

According to the same report, Apple chose Samsung Display over LG Display because LG Display is developing OLED displays for 11-inch and 13-inch next-generation iPad Pro models and does not have sufficient Elec claims that Apple wants to launch new iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models with OLED displays in sequence.

This is speculation on my part, but if the OLED MacBook Pro is to be launched in 2027, it seems unlikely that the OLED MacBook Air will appear in 2024; it would be more logical to launch OLED MacBooks three or more years apart; the MacBook Pro will be launched in 2027, and the MacBook Air in 2024. For example, if Apple were to launch the OLED MacBook Air in the spring of 2026, it would make more sense to launch the OLED MacBook Pro in early 2027. However, this is also just speculation.

Besides persistent reports that MacBooks with OLED panels are in development, we have not heard much in the way of rumors about possible specs or designs for these laptops; we can speculate that they will feature Apple's latest M-series chips, but it is design will be updated or not is unknown.

According to Young, these OLED displays will use what he calls "tandem stacking." This novel technology stacks two red, green, and blue (RGB) light-emitting layers on top of each other to increase brightness and improve power efficiency.

Except for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, MacBook Pro 14-inch, and MacBook Pro 16-inch models with mini LEDs, most MacBooks and iPads still use LCD displays. The iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch 9 with miniature displays already use OLEDs, so it is not surprising that Apple would want to use this technology for its larger products.

One interesting note is that The Elec claims that the development of the 13.4-inch OLED panel for the MacBook Air is a test toward mass production of MacBook Pro models with OLED panels.

OLED MacBooks are a rumor at best. If what we have heard is true, these laptops will not appear until 2027 at the earliest.

Nevertheless, the arrival of OLED MacBooks is exciting. The mini LED displays on the current MacBook Pro 14" and MacBook Pro 16" produce vivid images, but do not have the deep contrast of OLED panels; while OLED burn-in is a concern, the advantages of OLED technology cannot be ignored.

We will update this page as further information becomes available.