- The OLED MacBook Pro could arrive well before the end of 2026
- Mass production has apparently already started on the screens
- The upgraded screens are also rumored to be touch-sensitive
Rumors have long swirled that Apple will be giving its MacBook Pro line of laptops an OLED display upgrade in the not-too-distant future, and now it looks like the upgraded models could be showing up sooner than we thought.
According to well-known tipster Yeux1122 (via 9to5Mac), Samsung has now started mass production of its latest 8.6-generation OLED panels – and Apple’s OLED MacBook Pros are tipped to be the first recipients.
These panels weren’t expected to reach the mass production stage until the second quarter of 2026 (April, May or June), so it follows that the laptops themselves could arrive earlier than expected sometime later this year.
Previous predictions pointed to a launch window around the end of 2026, but if the schedule can be moved forward, there might be room for a reveal sometime around September or October. However, this is all quite speculative for now.
Touchscreen compatible too
As well as carrying OLED technology – which in theory offers a superior viewing experience to the LCD screens currently used in MacBooks, with deeper blacks and excellent contrast – these panels are also touch-sensitive.
Your mileage may vary depending on whether a touchscreen MacBook is something you’re interested in. What we can say for sure is that it will blur the lines between MacBooks and iPads even more if both are capable of using touch input (and maybe the Apple Pencil).
If previous rumors are correct, however, only the top-end MacBook Pros will get the OLED upgrade: those running the as-yet-unannounced M6 Pro and M6 Max chipsets. The cheaper options will apparently stick to the current display technology.
Before the M6 revolution kicks off, we think there will still be room for the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros to be unveiled – perhaps even this month or next – following on from the refreshed M5 Apple laptops launched last year.
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