OLED MacBooks and iPads just got tipped for 2024

MacBook Air M2 display photos
(Image credit: Future)

MacBooks and iPads could make the move to OLED screens in 2024, according to display analyst Ross Young, in a tweet only visible to his Super Followers. 

To give you the gist, Young claims there will likely be a 13.3-inch OLED MacBook alongside 11-inch and 12.9-inch OLED iPad Pros in some two years time. He doesn't know what type of MacBook will offer this display first, but suspects it could be a future MacBook Air.

The most MacBooks and iPads currently use LCD displays other than the mini LED-equipped 12.9-inch iPad Pro and 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The iPhone 13 family and the Apple Watch 7, with their smaller displays, use OLED already, so it's hardly surprising to see Apple want to adopt this tech for their larger products as well.

OLED’s main benefits are increased power efficiency and richer blacks, thanks to the way each pixel can produce its own light instead of relying on a backlight like LCD. OLED panels are also important for efficient always-on displays, something the rumors claim Apple’s interested in for the iPhone 14. Perhaps in the future, we’ll see these on MacBooks and iPads too.

All three of the devices' displays will use something called a "tandem stack" according to Young. This tech will allow for improved brightness, power consumption and overall lifespan. Plus, these will be LTPO displays, allowing for a variable refresh rate as we see on the iPhone 13 Pro and larger MacBook Pro models.

If you're interested in upgrading your Apple laptop right now though, the latest MacBooks to choose from are the MacBook Air 2022 and MacBook Pro 2022, both using the new Apple M2 chip. Read about these new machines above, or check how to preorder the Apple MacBook Air 2022 if you've made your mind up.

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Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.

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