Apple is testing OLED screens for the MacBook Air and iMac, but they are 'some way off', MacRumors reports

Apple is reportedly experimenting with OLED panels for two of its most popular everyday computers, the MacBook Air and the iMac, but anyone hoping for the upgrade soon will have to wait. MacRumors, citing Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and his Sunday "Power On" newsletter, says both changes "remain some way off."

Testing, not shipping

According to the report, Apple's engineers are currently evaluating OLED displays for future versions of the two machines. Gurman did not give a timeline for when either product might make the switch, and the report does not describe what the panels would look like or how they would be made. In other words, this is a look at work in progress rather than a product plan with a date attached.

The next models stay on LCD

The more concrete detail concerns what comes first. The next refreshes of both the MacBook Air and the iMac are expected to keep their current LCD screens, so an OLED version would arrive with a later generation. That fits the broader pattern described in Gurman's reporting: Apple is bringing OLED to its Mac line from the top down, starting with the higher-end laptops, while the cheaper models wait.

What to expect and when

On timing, Gurman expects a new iMac this week, and a MacBook Air refresh in early 2027. Bloomberg previously reported that Apple plans to update the iMac and the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip on Wednesday, when it is also said to be preparing a press event in Los Angeles. Apple has confirmed that event for October 28, although it has not said what it will show.

For buyers, the practical takeaway is that the machines expected in the coming months are not the OLED models. Anyone weighing a new iMac or MacBook Air should treat the screen technology as unchanged for now.

Caveats

All of this is unconfirmed. Apple has not commented on its display plans for the MacBook Air or the iMac, and testing a technology does not guarantee that it will reach a finished product. Apple regularly evaluates components that never make it into shipping hardware. The newsroom will be worth watching on Wednesday, when Apple's own announcements should show how much of the current rumor mill turns out to be accurate.

Cupertino News will update this story if Apple or other reliable outlets add detail about the MacBook Air and iMac display roadmap.