MacBook Air won't get an OLED screen before 2028

Apple's current MacBook Air

A new supply chain report claims that Apple has pushed back adding an OLED screen to the MacBook Air, previously rumored to arrive in 2027.

It's been expected that Apple would bring an OLED screen to the MacBook Air for some time, and at times 2027 has been predicted. However, The Elec says that this has now changed and there won't be an OLED MacBook Air before 2028 at the earliest.

Citing unspecified sources within the components industry, the report says that suppliers believe the OLED MacBook Air has been postponed — for two reasons. One that is to be expected is the cost of OLED screens, and how that necessarily adds to the price of devices.

But the other is that the industry believes OLED in the latest iPad Pro has not proven to be the attraction that was expected. In late 2023, it was reportedly expect that shipments of the OLED iPad Pro would reach 10 million by the end of 2024.

Apple is said to have then dropped the estimates to around 8.5 million at the start of 2023. More recently, it has further dropped its prediction to between 6 and 7 million over the whole of 2024.

That's because while the OLED iPad Pro is said to have sold well in the second quarter of 2024 when it was released, sales have dropped markedly since then.

Apple is said to be hoping to see many firms compete to provide OLED displays, which will lead to lower prices. But at present, only Samsung is expected to deliver OLED screens for the MacBook Pro, and the iPad Pro display is made by Samsung and LG.

An unspecified official in the supply chain has claimed that Apple will accept a lower quality OLED screen. "We need to find a point where Apple's MacBook Air OLED performance can be close to the professional [MacBook Pro] level," said the official (in translation).

"If the OLED performance of the [MacBook Air] is close to the high-end model," continued the official, "we can increase the overall sales."

Separately, Apple has also been reported to have delayed the OLED MacBook Pro. However, it's now expected to be launched in 2026.

Note that The Elec has proved to be a decent source of Apple supply chain information. However, it tends to be far less accurate in the predictions it makes based on that information.

William Gallagher has 30 years of experience between the BBC and AppleInsider discussing Apple technology. Outside of AppleInsider, he's best known for writing Doctor Who radio dramas for BBC/Big Finish, and is the De...