February 12, 2025 – According to the latest report from Korean media outlet The Elec, Apple is still planning to release its first MacBook Pro equipped with an OLED screen in 2026, featuring a brand new sleek design.
Currently, Samsung Display is producing test samples of OLED panels on its first evaporation machine, which was installed in November 2024. However, industry predictions estimate that the annual supply of OLED panels for the MacBook Pro will only range from 3 to 5 million units. Since Samsung Display’s IT 8-Generation OLED production line has a designed capacity of 10 million units per year (based on 14.3-inch OLED panels), the company will need to seek out more clients to achieve maximum production efficiency.
Previous rumors have also suggested that the MacBook Pro will adopt OLED display technology in 2026. The upcoming MacBook Pro is expected to utilize the same hybrid OLED technology found in Apple’s latest iPad Pro. This display technology, which combines glass substrates with thin-film encapsulation, offers significant improvements in brightness, contrast, and energy efficiency compared to the current MacBook Pro models equipped with Mini LED screens.
Reports indicate that Samsung Display has invested approximately $3 billion in its IT 8-Generation OLED production line specifically for manufacturing laptop-sized panels. Meanwhile, Chinese display manufacturer BOE is also developing its hybrid OLED panel production capabilities, with a production line designed for flexibility, allowing it to produce both hybrid OLED and flexible OLED displays.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and display industry analyst Ross Young both predict that the 2025 models of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro will continue to be equipped with Mini LED displays. Additionally, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman states that he expects the 2025 MacBook Pro to have a minor performance boost, powered by the “nearly completed” M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips.
Gurman previously reported that Apple is striving to significantly reduce the thickness of the OLED version of the MacBook Pro, aligning with the company’s broader goal of creating the “thinnest and lightest products” in the technology industry. He further mentioned that the 2026 MacBook Pro is likely to undergo a “true comprehensive upgrade” due to the combination of its OLED screen and sleek design.
