The 11-inch and 13-inch M4 iPad Pro models are Apple’s thinnest devices to date, but the company has reportedly set in motion an ambitious plan for the future, where various products, such as the iPhone 17, will be substantially thinner than past releases. This design change is said to extend to the MacBook Pro lineup, with one analyst stating that Apple’s transition to OLED technology will help reduce the thickness of these portable Macs.
Analyst also explains why Apple is taking so long to bring OLED to the MacBook Pro range, and it all has to do with procuring a specific display
The new tandem OLED debuted in the M4 iPad Pro models, which is expensive to mass produce, but has a boatload of advantages, such as increasing the panel’s lifespan, overall brightness and improving power efficiency. With Apple now said to be reducing the thickness of its future devices, Display Supply Chain Consultants’ founder and CEO Ross Young replied to a MacRumors tweet, stating that the transition to OLED will allow the MacBook Pro models to become thinner.
Unfortunately, we should not expect these anytime soon, as according to the latest estimate, OLED technology will debut on the MacBook Pro family by 2026. As for how the technology giant will attempt to reduce the thickness, current-generation MacBook Pro models feature mini-LED, which requires a backplane to emit those individual lights. With OLED, each pixel is independent, negating the use of that backplane and allowing Apple to bring those thickness levels down.
However, it was not an easy feat because Apple had to persevere and convince its display suppliers to set up production facilities to mass manufacture tandem OLED for the M4 iPad Pro models. With the upcoming MacBook Pro range, the California-based titan will have to wait for the large substrate OLED fabrication plants to reduce costs. Earlier, Ross Young was surprised at how Apple managed to keep the prices of its M4 iPad Pro lineup relatively low, as he believed that switching to tandem OLED would force the company to raise the amount by 50 percent compared to the previous-generation tablets.
It is possible that the company manages to maintain some level of affordability for its OLED MacBook Pro family too, but only if its suppliers can manage to do the same. Assuming Apple runs into similar pricing or production problems, it is likely that the OLED debut on portable Macs will be delayed.
News Source: Ross Young
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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