The redesign of the MacBook Air is consubstantial with the transition to OLED technology, except the latter has just been postponed. According to a report from The ElecApple has reportedly decided to postpone the launch of the MacBook Air OLED until after 2027, in particular due to the manufacturing costs of this component which would lead to an excessively significant increase in the final price in the near future.
No OLED on MacBook Air anytime soon
The MacBook Air, Apple’s most popular Mac model, has seen impressive growth, with a more than 20% increase in market share in early 2024, driven by new M3 models and lower prices. However, disappointing iPad Pro M4 sales suggest that OLED alone may not attract enough consumer interest to justify higher prices; projections for iPad Pro OLED unit shipments in 2024 have dropped significantly to between 6 and 7 million.
Apple is working to reduce the costs of OLED panels for the MacBook Air, but the supply chain is not yet mature enough on this point. Samsung Display, which supplies OLED panels for the iPad Pro and a possible 2026 OLED MacBook Pro, is expected to develop a simple, single-stack OLED panel for the MacBook Air. While this configuration doesn’t match the more advanced dual-stack OLED panel planned for the MacBook Pro (and seen on the M4 iPad Pro), it will still offer higher brightness, deeper contrast, and better power efficiency compared to current LCD screens. Clearly, Apple and its partners will have to find a balance that allows them to benefit from the advantages of OLED without significantly increasing prices, thus guaranteeing distinct functionalities for the Air and Pro models.
Who is waiting for an OLED MBA to change their current laptop?
