Samsung has always been Apple's biggest OLED panel supplier. It makes OLED screens for high-end iPhones and some Apple Watches. Now, the companies are reportedly working together on OLED screens for upcoming iPads and MacBooks.
According to a report from South Korea's ET News, Apple and Samsung Display have started working on OLED panel development for upcoming iPad Pro and MacBook Pro devices that will be launched in 2024 (or later). The iPad Pro with an OLED screen could debut as soon as next year, and it could be available in 11.1-inch and 13-inch variants, slightly bigger than the current models.
The first MacBook (probably MacBook Air) with an OLED screen could launch as soon as 2023 and have a 13-inch display. The MacBook Pro with an OLED screen could be launched in 2026 and come in 14-inch and 16-inch screen sizes, similar to the current-generation high-end laptops. Right now, MacBook Pro uses a Mini-LED display, which offers higher all-screen brightness than OLED panels, but also suffers from blooming in dark screens.
Apple reportedly wants Samsung Display to develop OLED panels with a two-stack tandem design. Such OLED panels, unlike the single-stack design that Samsung currently makes, have two light emission layers. It reportedly results in double the brightness levels and four times the lifespan.
For the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra and future iPhones, Apple could switch to MicroLED displays. Samsung has already started working on MicroLED displays for future Apple Watches, but the company may or may not get that contract.
