This is why Apple’s first OLED MacBook Air may be delayed until after 2027

Apple is reportedly working on equipping its MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with OLED displays, and these upgraded variants are expected to arrive in 2026 and 2027 respectively. However, a new report suggests that the launch of the OLED MacBook Air model could be delayed beyond 2027 due to issues with the device’s price and supply chain challenges. Apple’s first device with an OLED screen was the iPhone 12 released in 2020, while earlier this year the company unveiled the iPad Pro (2024) as its first OLED-equipped tablet.

MacBook Air with OLED screen may be delayed beyond 2027

All of Apple’s current MacBook models – including the recently launched MacBook Pro (2024) models with M4 chips – feature Liquid Retina and Liquid Retina XDR displays, and the company is expected to upgrade the MacBook Pro in 2026 with an OLED screen, while the MacBook Air would arrive a year later. However, recent reports have suggested that the OLED MacBook Air could face additional delays.

Citing sources at South Korean component manufacturers, The Elec reports that Apple could delay the launch of the first MacBook with an OLED screen until after 2027, and that the delay is mainly due to the device’s expected price increase, and the company’s concern that an OLED screen upgrade might not be enough will be to convince customers to upgrade from older models.

Delivery forecasts for the iPad Pro (2024) – Apple’s first tablet with an OLED screen – have reportedly been lowered by analysts after sales of the tablet fell in the third quarter of 2024. Analysts now expect Apple to ship up to 7 million iPad Pro models, down from about 10 million users, according to the publication.

Another factor that could influence the launch of the MacBook Air model with an OLED screen is Apple’s supply chain. The publication says that Apple has only two manufacturers of OLED displays: LG Display and Samsung Display, which makes it difficult for the Cupertino company to keep prices low.

While the MacBook Air is expected to have a single-layer OLED panel, Apple is tipped to equip the MacBook Pro with a dual-layer OLED panel; on the iPad Pro (2024) it used a ‘Tandem OLED’ panel. It’s currently unclear whether the alleged timeline for the OLED MacBook Pro will also be delayed, in addition to the company’s OLED MacBook Air model.