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Apple Reportedly Planning All-New MacBook Model Between Air and Pro

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Apple may introduce an entirely new 13.8-inch OLED MacBook model in 2029, potentially creating a new product tier between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, according to an updated product roadmap from research firm Omdia.

MacBook-Air-Hello.jpg

The firm's latest roadmap sandwiches a new 13.8-inch MacBook between the projected time line for the Air and Pro models. The surprise model is said to use a single-stack hybrid OLED panel, rather than the more sophisticated tandem OLED technology that is expected in the upcoming OLED MacBook Pro models, which are set to launch either later this year or early next year.

It seems this prediction hasn't come out of nowhere, either. According to a June report from ZDNet Korea, Apple sounded out Samsung Display, LG Display, and BOE for information regarding a 13.8-inch OLED MacBook panel earlier this year. At the time, the general assumption was that it was likely to be part of Apple's work on the first OLED MacBook Air, expected by 2028 at the earliest.

However, looking at Omdia's latest roadmap, the OLED MacBook Air is conspicuously absent, having been replaced by the 13.8-inch OLED machine in a separate "new" product category. The new model is expected to incorporate an LTPO+ backplane, integrated touch sensing, an under-panel camera, and a color filter integrated into the OLED encapsulation layer.

Omdia believes it is still too early to know for sure which display manufacturer would supply panels for the device, but the firm believes that it could potentially become an important mainstream MacBook product, positioned between the LCD MacBook Air and the higher-end OLED MacBook Pro.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Air line is shown as continuing to use LCD displays right into 2030.

omdia-apple-oled-roadmap-circa-2026.jpg

Of course, Apple's wholesale OLED adoption plans could change, and Omdia itself caveats that its roadmap is based on current market expectations. On that basis alone, it could be adjusted at any time according to OLED manufacturing capacity, component costs, and Apple's wider product strategy. Additionally, this is the first we've heard of a completely new MacBook line, and it's still three years out. So with all due caution, file this one under "wait and see."

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Planning All-New MacBook Model Between Air and Pro
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/03/apple-new-oled-macbook-between-air-pro/
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Dedicated prosumer line, makes perfect sense. Pro is overkill for me, but I want some of the bells and whistles the Air doesn't have. Color me interested.

EDIT: I could see the base model Pro (M4, M5, M6, etc.) being discontinued and consumers of that model being pushed towards this prosumer line. I just hope it has a fan!
 
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Kinda like how Apple used to have an entry level 13 inch MacBook Pro. But that “pro” moniker never made much sense to me.

Maybe “MacBook Studio”?
 
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I think its pretty obvious this is the new redesigned OLED MBA which will be elevated in terms of features and price, and the current MBA will be discontinued. The roadmap clearly says 13.6" Display for this new model (matching the current MBA 13.6"), so not sure where MR have gotten this 13.8" figure.
 
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How to start your profitable Apple “reporting” career.
1. Report on something SO out in the future it literally doesn’t matter what you report as people will have forgotten by then anyway.
2. Follow that up with a few reports of the obvious “New iPhone to be eventually released” or “Will Apple (blah blah blah).”
3. Repeat on a fairly persistent basis.

That’s it! You might not ever reach the ranks of Gurman, but you’ll get enough additional ad views to get you by. 🙂
 
It’s an interesting proposition.

For me, when choosing between, say, a 15-inch MacBook Air and a 14-inch MacBook Pro… what am I looking for? Better screen, better speakers, better connectivity, better cooling and perhaps more horsepower for computing? Which of those am I willing to give up for a lower-specced and less-expensive device?

Personally, I might be willing to give up the extra computing horsepower - especially since each version of the base M chip is better than the last anyway. Whatever chip is in this new machine might be all I need.

The rest of the MacBook Pro features I’d like to keep. Apple has proven itself a master at product differentiation. “It’s only $200 more to get everything you want.”

So we’ll see. But the love the idea of this new MacBook.
 
More likely an Air refresh which is much needed. The Air while great overall isn’t very “Airy” compared to the competition anymore.
 
Call it market saturation. At this point it's gonna look like the 90s all over again. Really the Neo should've been named MacBook and the air upgraded with more ports as a in-between then pro level MacBook Pro. With the foldable iPhone its looking like these product categories are getting so crammed its hard to recommend anything.
 
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Budget option: Neo
Entry level, daily life usage: Air
Prosumer: Pro with non-pro processor
Professional: Pro with pro processor

Do we really still need another category for the MacBooks?
 
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This starts to feel like the 90s again, which ended up being a huge problem for Apple. There were too many models and not a great way to provide differentiation between the models. We already have the Neo, Air and Pro, and we are able to have the Ultra. That feels like more than enough lines of MacBooks. If there is a 5th line sandwiched in between Air and Pro, I am not sure there would be enough differentiation between the lines to justify it.
 
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This is a signal that future MBP could have a huge price increase so they need to fill the gap. Not surprised but they could just release MBP with base M chip variants for prosumers like they do and make price difference bigger on the Pro / Max chip versions.
 
This guy also just said the OLED MBP may get an M5 Ultra chip because it has ultra in the name. Apple Watch Ultra also has ultra in the name. It's safe to say that calling yourself an analyst will get you attention online in the Apple blogosphere no matter what you say. He's a rumor creator. Neither of these predications seems likely even at a random glance. Apple should fix MBA Air though and give it more port variety and bring back SD Card to it. The budget laptop > the prosumer > the pro. I need SD Card, dislike adapters and cannot look at a MBP display with the flicker. Neo > Air > Pro. Next topic.
 
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NoelWalker said:
Budget option: Neo
Entry level, daily life usage: Air
Prosumer: Pro with non-pro processor
Professional: Pro with pro processor

Do we really still need another category for the MacBooks?
Click to expand...
Considering more entreprises are adopting MBAs for employees who don't need the power of the Pro/Max chips, and save money in the process as the MBPs are great but expensive machines, I'm not sure we need yet-another product line: M chips are so good and we already have a wide array for various needs.

Neo to MBA to MBP with base chip to MBP with Pro/Max chips covers pretty much everything already.

Unless it's just a branding thing: the MBP with base chip could just get a new name (a bit of lipstick on a pig).
 
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