Apple’s move to OLED displays across its product lineup may take longer on the MacBook Air side. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now says the company is expected to bring OLED panels to the MacBook Air around 2028 or 2029, pushing the timeline beyond earlier expectations.
MacBook Air OLED timeline appears to be moving back
OLED has long been seen as a natural next step for Apple’s devices thanks to advantages such as thinner panels and higher image quality. Earlier reports had suggested the MacBook Air could make the switch in 2027, while most estimates later settled on 2028. Kuo’s latest comments now point to a later window.
In a longer post discussing supply chain issues and expectations around the MacBook Neo, Kuo repeated his earlier view that the MacBook Pro will be the first in Apple’s notebook range to adopt OLED. He had previously said that transition would happen in late 2026. His updated view now places it in early 2027.
For the MacBook Air, Kuo says OLED panel adoption is expected around 2028 or 2029. He did not share further technical details, and he did not explain why the schedule may be slipping.
One possible reason is product separation. Apple is widely expected to introduce OLED to the more expensive MacBook Pro first, and the company may want to preserve a clearer gap between the Pro and Air lines before bringing the same panel technology to the lower-priced model.
Another factor could be demand. Apple already introduced OLED to the iPad Pro, but reports at the time suggested the upgrade did not trigger the replacement cycle some had expected. That may have influenced how Apple is planning the rollout for future Mac models.
Kuo remains one of the most closely followed analysts covering Apple’s supply chain. Even so, this latest report again leaves some uncertainty, as it does not clearly separate information tied to supply chain sources from Kuo’s own interpretation.
