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

airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
iPhone 7 Lightning to Headphone Jack Adapter

Apple Seemingly Discontinuing Lightning to Headphone Jack Adapter Introduced Alongside iPhone 7

Sunday November 17, 2024 12:33 pm PST by
It appears that Apple is discontinuing the Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter that it released alongside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 2016. The adapter was recently listed as "sold out" on Apple's online store in the U.S. and most other countries, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The adapter remains available from Apple in only a handful of countries, such as...
Apple TV 4K hero 221018 feature

It's 2009 Again: Apple is Apparently Reconsidering Making a TV

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:27 am PST by
Between around 2009 and 2011, it was repeatedly rumored that Apple would be releasing a TV, but that obviously never happened. Now, a decade-and-a-half later, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the idea is back on the table. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman briefly mentioned that Apple has been "evaluating" the "idea of making an Apple-branded TV set." He did not provide any further...

Top Rated Comments

Zest28 Avatar
2 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
2 weeks ago
I’d take Mini LED in the Air
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JonathanX64 Avatar
2 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
2 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
2 weeks ago
OLED color degrades over time.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
2 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)