Market research company Omdia has reported that Apple has discontinued development of the MacBook equipped with a folding organic EL (OLED) display (hereinafter referred to as folding MacBook) and the 14.4-inch to 16.1-inch OLED-equipped MacBook that was planned as a separate line.
On the other hand, it appears that they are developing a MacBook that will be equipped with a new 13.8-inch OLED display and will be positioned between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
Development discontinuation model and continuation model
According to Omdia, Apple has canceled plans to produce a foldable MacBook that expands from 16.1 inches to 18 inches when unfolded, and an OLED-equipped MacBook that measures 14.4 inches to 16.1 inches.
However, the 14.3-inch and 16.3-inch OLED-equipped MacBook Pros, which are being developed in parallel, continue to be planned and are expected to arrive in late 2026 or early 2027.
Cancel plans for folding MacBook
It has been rumored that the folding MacBook is being developed as a device with a large display of around 18 inches.
Omdia’s latest roadmap states that product plans for a folding MacBook, which would be 16.1 inches to 18 inches when expanded, have been canceled.
There have been previous predictions that a 20.5-inch foldable display will be used, but that’s not part of Omdia’s roadmap, at least not yet.
The relationship with the foldable iPad is unknown.
It has been rumored that Apple is also developing a large foldable iPad, but there is also information suggesting that development of this will be canceled or postponed.
Regarding the large folding device, there was some expectation that it would be a product with elements of both iPadOS and macOS, and there was conflicting information as to whether it would be classified as a MacBook or an iPad.
Now that Omdia has reported that it has canceled its plans for a folding MacBook product, it seems unlikely that it will be commercialized in the near future.
Will the mini LED model also be sold until 2028?
Even after the OLED-equipped MacBook Pro is released, Omdia predicts that the MacBook Pro equipped with a mini-LED display will not be discontinued immediately.
The mini-LED model is expected to be sold together until at least 2028, and may remain in the lineup as a cheaper MacBook Pro than the OLED model.
This is similar to the situation where the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar was sold alongside the 14-inch MacBook Pro for a while after its release.
In contrast to the OLED-equipped MacBook Pro, which is expected to increase in price, the mini-LED-equipped model may play a role in covering the conventional price range.
Developed 13.8-inch OLED MacBook
Omdia predicts that Apple is considering introducing a new MacBook equipped with a 13.8-inch OLED display in 2029.
This model is expected to become a new product category between the MacBook Air with an LCD display and the MacBook Pro with an OLED display.
At this time, it is not a derivative of the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, and is classified as a “new” product line on Omdia’s roadmap.
New model uses next-generation OLED technology
The 13.8-inch OLED-equipped MacBook is expected to use a single-stack hybrid OLED, which is different from the MacBook Pro.
Omdia predicts that displays will feature new technologies such as:
- LTPO+ (low temperature polycrystalline oxide, an advanced version of LTPO) backplane
- TOE (Touch Sensor on Encapsulation)
- UPC (Under Panel Camera)
- COE (Color Filter on Encapsulation)
- FMP (Flex Magic Pixel)
The TOE allows the integration of touch sensors into the OLED panel, and the UPC allows the front camera to be placed below the display.
Furthermore, since COE can omit the polarizing plate, it is expected to make the display thinner, improve brightness, and reduce power consumption.
Will it be an OLED MacBook cheaper than the Pro?
The 13.8-inch model is expected to use a single-stack OLED with one light-emitting layer, rather than the tandem OLED that is expected to be used in the MacBook Pro.
Therefore, there is a possibility that it will be a model that takes advantage of OLED’s image quality and thinner profile, but has lower manufacturing costs than the MacBook Pro.
If it becomes a product with higher functionality than the MacBook Air and less expensive than the MacBook Pro, it will likely become a model that will create a new price range in Apple’s MacBook lineup.
Predicting the 2029 MacBook lineup
If this happens, the MacBook lineup might look like this:
- MacBook Pro with OLED
- 13.8-inch OLED-equipped MacBook
- MacBook Air
- MacBook Neo
Source: MacRumors
Photo: Apple Hub/Facebook
Source: iPhone Mania
