Apple is working on a 24-inch iMac with an OLED display

Apple is apparently planning a technological leap forward for the iMac. A new report from Korea suggests that a 24-inch iMac with an OLED display is in development. Display development is expected to be completed by 2027, but a market launch could follow later. If the report is confirmed, it would mark the first time Apple has introduced OLED technology to its all-in-one desktop line.

The iMac has played a central role in Apple's desktop portfolio for years. The current 24-inch model features a 4.5K Retina display with an LCD panel and LED backlighting. While Apple has already prepared OLED displays for mobile Macs, the iMac has so far been left out. This could change in the coming years.

Apple is considering OLED for the iMac

According to The Elec, Apple has contacted both Samsung Display and LG Display to gather information on developing a 24-inch OLED panel specifically for the iMac. Current iMac models still use LCD technology, making the potential switch to OLED particularly relevant.

Planned display specifications

The talks reportedly already covered specific technical details. A brightness of up to 600 nits and a pixel density of 218 PPI are being discussed. This would give the OLED iMac the same resolution as the current 24-inch iMac, but with approximately 20 percent more brightness. The maximum luminance would thus be on par with the Apple Studio Display, which also achieves 600 nits, but is still based on an LCD panel.

Advantages of OLED technology

An OLED display offers several well-known advantages for the iMac. These include deeper blacks, significantly higher contrast, overall better image quality, and improved energy efficiency. Especially during extended use and graphic design work, these features would represent a noticeable upgrade compared to the previous LCD panel.

Samsung and LG as possible panel suppliers

Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to propose different large-format OLED technologies for the iMac's OLED display. This would require Apple to depart from its previously preferred RGB OLED method. Samsung is likely to use QD-OLED, in which blue light is passed through a quantum dot color conversion layer to create colors. LG Display is expected to offer W-OLED, where the image is created using white light, which is split into colors using RGBW color filters.

According to the report, both manufacturers are developing so-called 5-stack OLED structures. These add an additional green layer to the existing four layers to further increase the maximum brightness compared to current 4-stack designs.

Apple's preferred solution: RGB OLED

Apple is reportedly still favoring RGB OLED. This technology generates light and color directly at the subpixel level, enabling particularly precise color reproduction. However, the problem lies in scaling. So far, RGB OLED has not proven reliable for display sizes between 20 and 30 inches, as required for an iMac. Both Samsung and LG are therefore considering RGB OLED primarily as a long-term option.

Timeline and place within Apple's product strategy

According to reports, the development of the OLED panel for the iMac is expected to be completed by 2027 or 2028. When a corresponding product will actually be released remains unclear. A separate report also mentions a high-end iMac with an M5 Max chip, for which no OLED display is currently planned. In the short term, Apple could equip the existing 24-inch iMac with an updated M5 chip as early as next year, still using an LCD display.

The iMac on the way to modern OLED technology

The report reveals that Apple plans to fundamentally revamp the iMac's technology in the long term. A 24-inch iMac with an OLED display, 600 nits of brightness, and improved image quality would represent a significant step forward. Even if a market launch is still years away, it appears that OLED will play a central role not only in MacBooks but also in the iMac in the future. (Image: ifeelstock / DepositPhotos.com)