Apple plans an OLED MacBook Air after it brings touch-screen OLED to the MacBook Pro. The move puts the Air on a clear path to the same display technology, but on a later schedule.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in his Power On newsletter, says Apple targets an OLED MacBook Pro with touch input around late 2026 to 2027. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has echoed that timeline for OLED on Pro models. Gurman adds that Apple expects the MacBook Air to switch from LCD to OLED in 2028.
Apple will update the MacBook Air with M5 chips early next year, and it will keep an LCD screen. If Apple sticks to yearly updates, the first OLED MacBook Air is likely to arrive with M7 chips. Gurman reports Apple has already started early work on the OLED Air.
The OLED plan fits a wider display shift. Gurman says Apple aims to expand OLED beyond the iPhone and iPad Pro to the iPad mini and iPad Air before the MacBook Air. The low cost iPad is not on the list.
Why OLED and Why Later for Air
OLED gives the Air deeper blacks, higher contrast, and better power efficiency than LCD. That helps readability, HDR video, and battery life. On laptops, OLED can also cut weight by simplifying the display stack.
Apple appears to stage the rollout by product priority. The Pro line gets touch and OLED first to anchor premium pricing and showcase new UI options. The Air then follows once the panel yields, costs, and software readiness improve.
This timing also lines up with Apple’s chip cadence. An M5 Air keeps today’s design focused on value and battery life. An M7 Air on OLED in 2028 positions the model as a major visual upgrade without crowding the Pro.
Bottom line: Expect Apple to launch a touch screen OLED MacBook Pro first, then bring OLED to the MacBook Air in 2028. The result is a brighter screen, richer contrast, and better efficiency on its most popular notebook.
