Apple's OLED MacBook Pro Launch Moves Closer With Panel Production

[MacRumors]

Development of Apple's rumored OLED MacBook Pro took another forward step this month when the next-generation production line responsible for manufacturing its displays commenced operation.

Samsung Display is expected to make the panels for Apple's MacBook Pro, and has invested heavily in an 8.6-generation OLED production line located at its Asan campus in South Korea.

An 8.6G fab uses much larger glass substrates than the OLED lines used for smartphones, which allows multiple laptop-sized panels to be cut from a single sheet. This improves yields and lowers costs, which is just what Apple needs if OLED is to replace mini-LED in the MacBook Pro.

The line is designed around rigid OLED panels with oxide TFT backplanes and advanced tandem OLED structures. These are better suited to laptops, and offer higher brightness, improved power efficiency, and longer lifespan compared with conventional single-stack OLED panels.

According to the account yeux1122 on the Naver blog, Samsung has now begun producing panels from the line, suggesting Apple and other customers have completed qualification and reliability testing.

Apple's first OLED MacBook Pro will also feature a touchscreen display, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The claim has been corroborated by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who also said the laptops will have "thinner and lighter frames." Apple is apparently focusing on delivering the thinnest possible device without compromising on battery life or major new features.

The redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, and it could potentially be housed in a pill-shaped cutout similar to the iPhone's Dynamic Island, rather than the notch MacBook Pro owners are accustomed to.

Gurman says the machines will be powered by M6 chips and are being readied for a late 2026 or early 2027 launch, following the expected introduction of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in the next month or so.

• Apple Is Expected to Launch These Four MacBooks in 2026

It would be unusual for Apple to introduce two ‌MacBook Pro‌ refreshes in the same year, but there is precedent for it: Apple updated the MacBook Pro lineup twice in 2023, first with M2 Pro/M2 Max chips in January and then with M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max chips in late October.

Article Link: Apple's OLED MacBook Pro Launch Moves Closer With Panel Production

 

[bradman83]

My M1 Pro 14" MBP is starting to show its age (despite being the best laptop I've ever had). I'll be patiently waiting for this model to come out either later this year or early next year.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Punch-hole cam isn't necessary. There are surely cams on the market that would be good enough that can fit in the bezel. Panel isn't thick, but it's 2026. Time to stop message around. Heck, by now they should have a MBP with camera and Face ID in the bezel up there (no notch, no punch). No need to wait for under-display Face ID that's been coming for years, and years.

 

[Hajj.david]

Punch-hole cam isn't necessary. There are surely cams on the market that would be good enough that can fit in the bezel. Panel isn't thick, but it's 2026. Time to stop message around. Heck, by now they should have a MBP with camera and Face ID in the bezel up there (no notch, no punch). No need to wait for under-display Face ID that's been coming for years, and years.

Look at a current mac's screen do you see how thin it is at the top? Web cam hardware will not fit in it.

 

[Eidorian]

Apple managed to dodge the chance of me taking a jab at 8 GB of RAM with a OLED screen.

 

[chmania]

Samsung Display announced the commencement of mass production of the world’s first OLED displays for laptops, featuring a high refresh rate of 240Hz, on 7th June 2022. The new panel made its debut in MSI’s latest 15.6-inch gaming laptop, the Raider GE67 HX, raising the bar in the fiercely competitive gaming market for high-performance displays.

 

[Jaziry]

Please make the touch screen optional. I definitely (1000%) hate it.

Firstly, the way anybody touching the laptop screen while we already have a trackpad or mouse is stupid. And I hate fingerprints on the display except maybe my iPhone's since it's inevitable.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

As long as Touch Screen is an optional add-on, or - at least - something you can turn completely off in System Preferences (without loss of __other__ functionality), this could be a nice update.

If not, my next Mac - replacing an aging, but stil going strong 13" MacBook Air M1 - will probably be a 15" MBA, especially if the next generation "inherits" the Mini-LED once the MBP goes OLED (alternatively - if rumors are correct that the M6 "baby" MBP will keep the old hardware - a 14" "baby" MacBook Pro).

 

[Naraxus]

"The claim has been corroborated by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman..."

Mark's been feeling a little left out lately so he'll "corroboate" a claim, get his name out there once again so he can later on boast how right his "corroboration/sources" were.

And if it turns out the original source was wrong he can blame others and walk away squeeky clean.

Win-win.

 

[iMac The Knife]

I feel like they've been saying this for years now...

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

Samsung Display announced the commencement of mass production of the world’s first OLED displays for laptops, featuring a high refresh rate of 240Hz, on 7th June 2022. The new panel made its debut in MSI’s latest 15.6-inch gaming laptop, the Raider GE67 HX, raising the bar in the fiercely competitive gaming market for high-performance displays.

View attachment 2596363

There’s been OLED in laptops for years.

 

[mankymanning]

As long as Touch Screen is an optional add-on, or - at least - something you can turn completely off in System Preferences (without loss of __other__ functionality), this could be a nice update.

If not, my next Mac - replacing an aging, but stil going strong 13" MacBook Air M1 - will probably be a 15" MBA, especially if the next generation "inherits" the Mini-LED once the MBP goes OLED (alternatively - if rumors are correct that the M6 "baby" MBP will keep the old hardware - a 14" "baby" MacBook Pro).

I would have said the same but having just priced up here in the UK, the 15" MBA is the same price as the MBP 14" M5 which makes it a hard sell to me, lose 1" screen for much nicer screen/speakers....although my aging eyes would thank me for the extra screen real estate.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

The current mini LED screens are already outstanding. On a 14” or 16” display, at normal viewing distance, the OLED wow factor mostly disappears into diminishing returns. This isn’t a living room TV it’s a laptop. Unless you’re pixel peeping HDR video in a dark room, most daily use (email docs browsing) won’t look meaningfully different. In fact, those static UI elements are where OLED has real downsides. Feels less like a must have upgrade and more like Apple needing something new to market.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I would have said the same but having just priced up here in the UK, the 15" MBA is the same price as the MBP 14" M5 which makes it a hard sell to me, lose 1" screen for much nicer screen/speakers....although my aging eyes would thank me for the extra screen real estate.

Yeah, I've been flip-flopping between the two.

The 14" MBP has slighly higher resolution, then the 15" MBA, despite being a smaller screen... and since I'm old enough that I __have to__ use (reading) glasses on my computer, anyway, am not 100% sure which I'd prefer...

...especially - as I said - if the 15" MBA gets Mini-LED in the next gen...

 

[chmania]

There’s been OLED in laptops for years.

Certainly, but the 240Hz OLED display for laptops was introduced on 7th June 2022. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

We are speculating about an OLED display on a MacBook, and it’s now 2026. The first consumer laptop with multi-touch control functionality was released in December 2008. This new touchscreen MacBook would have to be called Samsung-MacBook?

 

[The Game 161]

looking forward to this and when i get one should last me a good while

 

[Techwatcher]

I hope these launch with M6 Pro and M6 Max options too, and not just bare M6.

 

[mikethebigo]

This is my next

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Look at a current mac's screen do you see how thin it is at the top? Web cam hardware will not fit in it.

I mentioned the thinness of the panel in my comment, and yes I have examined this. I reiterate my comment.

 

[SilmarilFinder]

I love OLED screens on TVs, but I still have big reservations on computers, mainly cost and burn-in. Apple loves static UI elements, and that menu bar is basically permanent. A beautifully menu bar burned into a £3,000 laptop sounds like a fantastic idea.

As for touchscreens, I have been using touchscreen PCs as work machines for years and, if you get the right hardware, it is genuinely great. I still do not believe Apple has needed to avoid touch for this long. If they actually commit and do it properly, I would absolutely love a touchscreen MacBook.

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

Certainly, but the 240Hz OLED display for laptops was introduced on 7th June 2022. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

We are speculating about an OLED display on a MacBook, and it’s now 2026. The first consumer laptop with multi-touch control functionality was released in December 2008. This new touchscreen MacBook would have to be called Samsung-MacBook?

Apple has always used technologies developed by other manufactures. Sometimes Apple works with them to advance them in new ways, other times it uses things "off-the-shelf". Most likely the display Apple will use will be a custom spec.

 

[switz]

Remember this is all "vaporware" now so do not get too excited. There are more misses than bullseye results.

 

[Eidorian]

I love OLED screens on TVs, but I still have big reservations on computers, mainly cost and burn-in. Apple loves static UI elements, and that menu bar is basically permanent. A beautifully menu bar burned into a £3,000 laptop sounds like a fantastic idea.

As for touchscreens, I have been using touchscreen PCs as work machines for years and, if you get the right hardware, it is genuinely great. I still do not believe Apple has needed to avoid touch for this long. If they actually commit and do it properly, I would absolutely love a touchscreen MacBook.

My bigger concern is text readability over burn-in.

 

[Pezimak]

If it’s anything like my M4 iPad Pro it will be phenomenal! But not for me, selling my MBP later this year for a Studio as it never leaves my desk, because I just use my iPad.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Delayed until mid 2027. You know how it goes.