OLED MacBook Air Could Be Delayed Beyond 2027, Claims Report

Apple's plans to release a MacBook Air with an OLED display may face significant delays beyond its original expected 2027 launch window, according to a new report from The Elec.

macbook air red
Industry sources cited by the Korean outlet point to pricing concerns and supply chain challenges as key factors behind the potential delay. The high manufacturing costs associated with OLED displays would substantially increase the MacBook Air's retail price, which risks making it less attractive to consumers.

The MacBook Air is often regarded as the company's most popular Mac model. According to Canalys, Apple's US Mac market share grew by 22% in the first quarter of 2024, a surge that was likely influenced by the introduction of new M3 MacBook Air models.

However, the latest report highlights disappointing OLED iPad Pro sales performance this year as an indicator that switching from LCD to OLED alone is not appealing enough to consumers to justify the increased price. A shipment of around 10 million iPad Pro units was anticipated for 2024, but that figure was revised to 8.5 million earlier in the year and has recently dropped to between 6 and 7 million units. OLED iPad Pro models retail from $999 for the 11-inch model, rising to $1299 for the 13-inch model.

Apple is now said to be seeking lower OLED panel prices for the MacBook Air, but the company has few options in the current supply chain environment. Samsung Display and LG Display provide OLED panels for the iPad Pro, but only Samsung Display is expected to supply panels for an upcoming OLED MacBook Pro, rumored for a 2026 launch. Previous reports have suggested that Samsung Display is developing a 13.3-inch OLED panel for a future ‌MacBook Air‌ model amid Apple's long-term plan to switch all of its product lines to the display technology.

The report goes on to suggest that the OLED MacBook Air will likely use a simpler single-stack OLED configuration, unlike the planned MacBook Pro OLED displays, which will feature a dual-stack design with two emission layers. However, both models will employ hybrid OLED technology combining glass substrates with thin-film encapsulation.

Industry sources suggest Apple and its display partners need to reach a "compromise" that minimizes price increases while maintaining performance standards that differentiate the Air and Pro lineups. Compared to current ‌MacBook Air models with LCD-based screens, benefits of OLED technology would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, and improved power efficiency for longer battery life.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Tags: OLED, The Elec
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Will Bring Biggest Design Overhaul Since iOS 7

Monday March 10, 2025 12:17 pm PDT by
Apple is planning for a major design overhaul of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces with the introduction of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 later this year, reports Bloomberg. The update will "fundamentally change" the look of Apple's operating system, introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience. Apple plans to update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system...
Apple One Apps Feature 2

Apple One's Best Plan Now Includes Two More Perks For Free

Monday March 10, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Apple One allows you to subscribe to up to six Apple services for one discounted monthly price. There are three Apple One tiers: Individual, Family, and Premier. Over the last month, the highest-end ‌Apple One‌ Premier plan has gained two additional perks. Here is what Apple One Premier already included, for $37.95 per month:Apple Music Apple TV+ Apple Arcade Apple News+ Apple Fitness+...
ios 18 4 carplay

Apple Upgrades CarPlay in Two Ways

Wednesday March 12, 2025 6:05 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes a smaller but meaningful improvement for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay. Specifically, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 11, 2025 3:26 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
iOS 18

12 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.4

Monday March 10, 2025 9:28 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.4 in early April, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new...
iphone 17 mockups idevicehelp

Video Shows iPhone 17 Mockups Based on 'Internal Documents'

Monday March 10, 2025 4:41 am PDT by
YouTuber iDeviceHelp on Friday posted a video that shows off mockups of Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 models that are purportedly based on "internal documents." We're sharing the video here since it was made in collaboration with leaker Majin Bu, who last month published similar iPhone 17 renders that were widely corroborated by separate leakers with links to Apple's Chinese supply chain....
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.2 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Monday March 10, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple employees are internally testing iOS 18.3.2 for iPhones, according to our website's visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released in the next week or two. iOS 18.3.2 will be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Don't expect any new features. iOS 18.3.2 will be an interim...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.3.2 With Bug Fixes

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:33 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.3.2 and iPadOS 18.3.2, minor updates for the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.3.2 and iOS 18.3.2 come a month after Apple released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release...
2016 12 inch macbook feature

Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:00 am PST by
Apple announced the infamous 12-inch Retina MacBook a decade ago today, an experimental new Mac that was as controversial as it was revolutionary. Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook on March 9, 2015, at the "Spring Forward" event in San Francisco, California. The event was primarily focused on the Apple Watch, which was being fully detailed ahead of its launch the following month, so the...

Top Rated Comments

Zest28 Avatar
18 weeks ago
Yet Ultrathin PC laptops with 120hz OLED displays are cheaper than the MacBook Air.

It is simply a “profit margin” issue.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lerschiboi Avatar
18 weeks ago
I’d take Mini LED in the Air
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JonathanX64 Avatar
18 weeks ago
Of course it is delayed.

Shipping these outdated, low-resolution IPS panels with atrocious contrast, high latency, lack of HDR, and blurry motion is what keeps $AAPL high. They’ll continue doing it as long as they can, just like they did with the 8GB RAM laptops.

Meanwhile, Windows PC users have been enjoying crisp 120Hz 3K OLED displays in thin and light laptops since what, 2021?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Harry Haller Avatar
18 weeks ago

We just don’t need OLED. If people are prioritising OLED over function, they have the wrong priorities imo.
How do you know what “we” need?
OLED has many functional qualities.
Who are you to say what people’s priorities should be?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
capamac Avatar
18 weeks ago
OLED color degrades over time.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
18 weeks ago
I wonder what the lifespan of OLED in a computer would be, compared to LCD, as I generally keep my laptops for 7-10 years and even then, they are still usable. My previous laptop, a 2012 MBP, is still in use today, just not by me. I kept a Dell desktop monitor in use for 17 years.

An OLED Air doesn't really interest me over a LCD, but I could easily keep my M1 air until 2027 if it's warranted.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)