Apple continues to work towards equipping the entirety of its sprawling ecosystem of devices with OLED screens, albeit at a glacial pace. As such, you might have to wait until 2030 to get your hands on an OLED iMac.
Apple is gunning for an OLED iMac release by the end of the ongoing decade
As per the latest tidbits from a South Korean publication, Samsung Display and LG Display have entered the preparatory stage for manufacturing large OLED panels for the Apple iMac, which is now expected to transition to the new display tech by 2029 or 2030.
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, the Apple iMac is a premium desktop computer that integrates the processor, graphics, storage, and memory within the slim chassis of the display itself, allowing for an exceptionally clean and meticulously organized setup.
Coming back, Apple has reportedly asked Samsung and LG to submit samples of the planned OLED iMac screen using their respective mass-production equipment. As such, Samsung Display is expected to move faster, planning to submit OLED samples at a pixel density of 220 PPI on its large-format QD-OLED production line to Apple by H2 2026.
Samsung Display partner, SEMES, has already shipped a QD-OLED inkjet tool that is capable of fabricating OLED screens at a pixel density of 220 PPI.
Do note that Samsung Display currently fabricates QD-OLED screens for monitors at a pixel density of 160 PPI. This means that the iMac screen would feature a 37.5 percent increase in pixel density relative to Samsung's current-gen QD-OLED monitors.
Meanwhile, LG Display plans to fabricate iMac OLED screen samples using its large-format White (W)-OLED technology, which retains a luminance disadvantage compared to Samsung Display’s QD-OLED, losing brightness as white emission passes through color filters. LG aims to counter this weakness by introducing a 5-stack (B-G-B-R-G) W-OLED process. LG Display is also working on its next-gen technology, called "eLEAP," which does not use a fine metal mask (FMM).
As per previous reports, Apple is reportedly demanding 24-inch OLED panels for the revamped iMac, replete with 600 nits of brightness and a pixel density of 218 PPI. Do note that the current-gen LCD iMac offers a brightness of 500 nits and a pixel density of 218 PPI.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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