Apple may no longer release the first MacBook Air model with an OLED display by 2027 due to significant supply chain challenges, according to a new article from The Elec.
Per the report, fitting an OLED display on the MacBook Air is significantly more expensive than typical OLED panels, and Apple is worried that OLED won’t be enough of a selling point to drive more demand. The company could also be forced to increase the retail price of a potential OLED MacBook Air, making it less attractive to consumers.
Apple released the first OLED iPad Pro this year, raising the price in the process for both the 11-inch and 13-inch models. However, the industry consensus is that sales of the OLED iPad Pro are lower than expected, forcing Apple to rethink its OLED MacBook Air plans. The company was expected to ship at least 10 million iPad Pro units this year, but that figure has recently been revised to just 6-7 million.
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Apple has to rely on a few suppliers that can deliver OLED panels at the scale and quality the company aims for, reducing its leverage in price negotiations. So far, only LG Display and Samsung Display can match Apple’s demands. The company ultimately knows manufacturing costs for any OLED device will be high. However, it is unwilling to accept the proposed increases with price-sensitive products like the MacBook Air.
In the meantime, the report alleges that the MacBook Pro is on track to feature an OLED display by 2026, a sentiment echoed earlier by Bloomberg. Samsung Display will be the sole supplier of the OLED MacBook Pro. The high-end laptop is also expected to feature the same tandem OLED technology as the iPad Pro for brighter displays with superior lifespans.
