The upcoming MacBook Pro with an OLED display will use Samsung screens
Samsung plans to develop a cutting-edge OLED screen for the MacBook Pro by 2025, surpassing competitors by at least a year and achieving this milestone earlier than previously anticipated.
Gen 8 OLED screens present challenges in manufacturing for larger sizes, but they bring advantages such as reduced power consumption and variable refresh rates, resulting in superior display quality and extended battery life. Establishing production facilities for these screens requires significant investment amounting to billions of dollars and a considerable amount of time. Consequently, companies have shown reluctance in making such investments.
In the context of Macs in 2023, reports indicated that the declining sales of Macs had raised concerns among screen manufacturers regarding the quantity of screens that Apple would order and the corresponding pricing negotiations.
In recent news from Mac 2023, a decline in Mac sales has raised concerns among screen manufacturers regarding Apple’s future screen orders and pricing agreements.
According to The Elec, Samsung Display has initiated investments in Gen 8 OLED technology. It is anticipated that LG Display might also pursue similar investments, albeit with a delay due to financial losses incurred during the transition from LCD to OLED manufacturing. Additionally, BOE is currently facing challenges in producing screens for iPhones.
Overall, this situation has created uncertainty for screen manufacturers as they observe Apple’s screen procurement strategy and negotiate pricing terms.
Samsung Display has announced plans to commence production of Gen 8 OLED screens within the next two to three years. The installation and optimization of a manufacturing line typically require around a year, but Samsung has already acquired the necessary equipment for this purpose.
According to Samsung Display’s projected timeline, the production of Gen 8 OLED screens is expected to begin anywhere between mid-2025 and mid-2026. In contrast, LG Display has yet to acquire Gen 8 OLED manufacturing equipment, indicating that they will likely be at least one year behind Samsung Display, as reported by The Elec.
The Elec, citing UBI Research’s Choong Hoon Yi’s statements during a seminar in Seoul, reveals that despite any potential delays, LG Display has secured orders from Apple. The CEO of UBI Research further emphasizes that BOE, another display manufacturer, does not have a guaranteed order from Apple.
Currently, manufacturers are producing Gen 6 OLED screens primarily for devices like the iPhone. Eighth generation screens are manufactured in larger sheets measuring 2200x2500mm, in contrast to the 1500x1850mm size of sixth generation screens. These larger sheets allow for the creation of more displays of MacBook Pro dimensions.
