Mass production of OLED panels has reportedly begun for several upcoming Apple products, including the long-rumored iPad mini OLED and MacBook Pro OLED.
According to a Korean language ETNews report, Samsung Display began mass production of OLED panels for Apple’s first OLED iPad mini this month. The report adds that production of OLED panels for the MacBook Pro is expected to begin in July, coinciding with the start of Samsung’s new 8.6 generation OLED production line.
The iPad mini OLED has been rumored for several years now, as Apple gradually expands OLED technology beyond the iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple introduced OLED to the iPad Pro in 2024, and display industry analysts have long expected the iPad mini to follow before the technology eventually reaches the iPad Air.
OLED will replace the current LCD technology used in the iPad mini 7, offering higher contrast, deeper blacks and improved power efficiency. There are no rumors suggesting exactly when the next iPad mini will be released, but a late 2026 launch is widely expected.
The upcoming redesign of the MacBook Pro – possibly marketed under the higher-tier “MacBook Ultra” moniker – is rumored to be the next in Apple’s product line to adopt OLED, replacing the current mini-LED technology. Multiple supply chain reports have indicated that Samsung Display’s dedicated Gen 8.6 OLED production line is key to Apple’s Mac transition.
According to BloombergAccording to Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the OLED MacBook Pro will also be the first Mac to adopt touchscreen technology. The machine is expected to be released towards the end of the year or early 2027, depending on how Apple deals with industry-wide memory chip shortages.
ETNews reports that Samsung Display and LG Display are supplying all of Apple’s OLED panels for products launched in the second half of the year. Samsung and LG would share production of OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, while LG Display would be the sole supplier of the Apple Watch Series 12. Meanwhile, Samsung would be the exclusive supplier of the foldable displays for iPhone, OLED iPad mini and OLED MacBook Pro.
The report also claims that Chinese display maker BOE is not participating in the iPhone 18 supply chain after quality issues reportedly delayed shipments of iPhone 17 Pro displays.
