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A foldable MacBook with a screen size of up to 18 inches and an OLED model larger than the existing Pro models are both reportedly off the table. Instead, a completely new 13.8-inch device is now in development – though not until the end of the decade. And the new forecast regarding the chip in the upcoming flagship model contradicts previous information.
The information comes from a post by Omdia's chief display analyst at this year's China Display Conference. It doesn't concern individual devices, but rather Apple's overall plan for OLED displays in Macs and iPads – and thus also the model currently known as the MacBook Ultra. The long-term strategy of transitioning the entire Mac and iPad lineup to OLED remains unchanged. What has shifted is which devices will ultimately receive which technology.
Key Facts at a Glance
- A foldable MacBook with a screen size of 16.1 to 18 inches when unfolded is said to have been cancelled.
- Also cancelled: an OLED MacBook between 14.4 and 16.1 inches, which would have been positioned above the Pro models.
- A new addition to the plans is a 13.8-inch MacBook positioned between the MacBook Air and the OLED MacBook Pro – it is expected for 2029.
- The 14.3 and 16.3 inch OLED models are expected to arrive at the end of 2026 and could get the M5 Ultra.
- The current mini-LED models will continue to operate in parallel, presumably until at least 2028.
What should be removed
The larger of the two canceled projects was a foldable MacBook that would have measured between 16.1 and 18 inches when unfolded. It had already slipped out of its original 2026 production window, but in earlier reports it was usually referred to as a large-format foldable iPad rather than a notebook.
The second canceled model is less spectacular, but more consequential for the product line: a MacBook with an OLED display between 14.4 and 16.1 inches, which would have formed a separate tier between the regular Pro sizes and the foldable device. With both cancellations, the 14.3 to 16.3-inch range remains exclusive to the MacBook Pro line.
The new model is coming – but not soon
The discontinued intermediate size will be replaced by a 13.8-inch MacBook, positioned below the Pro models rather than above them. Technically, it would be the most ambitious display in the lineup: an LTPO+ backplane, a touch sensor integrated directly into the encapsulation, a camera beneath the panel, and the elimination of the polarizer.
The crucial point, however, lies not in the technology, but in the timeline: the forecast predicts a release year of... 2029. Anyone who interprets this report as an announcement of an imminent model is three years off the mark. Even the panel supplier, according to the analyst himself, is still uncertain – for a device that could later become a mainstay of the MacBook line, several suppliers would likely be needed in the end.
| Model | Display technology | Expected |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 14.3 / 16.3 inch | Hybrid OLED, RGB tandem, oxide backplane | End of 2026 |
| MacBook Pro 14.3 / 16.3 inch (In Stock) | LCD with mini-LED backlight | It will continue until at least 2028. |
| MacBook 13.8 inch | Hybrid OLED, single-layer RGB structure, LTPO+ | 2029 |
| MacBook Air | LCD | unchanged |
| Foldable MacBook 16.1–18 inch | – | deleted |
| MacBook OLED 14.4–16.1 inch | – | deleted |
Regarding the chip, the forecast contradicts the current state of knowledge
The analysis considers it very likely that the 14.3-inch and 16.3-inch OLED models will be equipped with the M5 Ultra. This is based on Apple's own model strategy: because the LCD version was already released in March with the M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max, the next tier would be the only option for the higher-end OLED variant.
This contradicts previous information. At the end of June, sources close to the company stated that the device would ship with the M5 Pro and M5 Max – a statement that was surprising at the time because it ruled out an M6. Furthermore, there has never been a MacBook with an Ultra chip; the designation has so far been reserved for desktop computers, most recently the Mac Studio with its M5 Ultra, which is composed of four dies.
The two statements are inconsistent and both are unconfirmed. The difference in their reasoning is noteworthy: one is based on product planning information, the other explicitly on an inference drawn from the already released LCD version. An inference is not supply chain information, even if it sounds plausible.
How reliable is the forecast?
Omdia tracks panel production lines and order volumes, giving it close insight into display manufacturing – the data on production start dates, quantities, and suppliers is the core of its analysis. For upcoming OLED models, it cites a production start in July 2026 at Samsung Display and approximately 1.3 million panels for this year.
This doesn't apply to the same extent to chips and product names. The analysis itself indicates that the entire planning is based on the current market situation and may shift depending on the capacities of panel manufacturers. It explicitly cites the sharply increased memory prices and Apple's strategy for AI computers as external factors.
Why the mini-LED model is the real news
For purchasing decisions, the most important finding of the analysis is not the rejection or the chip itself, but rather the indication that the existing 14.3-inch and 16.3-inch Mini-LED models will not be discontinued when the OLED version arrives. Both are expected to be sold side-by-side for several years, with the LCD variant likely continuing until at least 2028 – according to the analysis, for cost reasons.
Anyone buying a MacBook Pro in the coming months won't be buying an outdated model. This isn't always the case with this product line: when Apple Silicon was introduced, the previous models disappeared from the market within just a few months.
We expect that the parallel production will also be reflected in the price, with the OLED models entering the market significantly above today's Pro models, rather than replacing them. The reason is explained in the same analysis: The new manufacturing process will run exclusively on a single production line, and a second supplier is not expected to join until 2028 at the earliest.
What can still change before the presentation
Panel roadmaps are constantly evolving, and the current version is already a revised version of an earlier plan. What is certain, however, is the framework: OLED will come first in the Pro line, the MacBook Air will remain with LCD for now, and the large clamshell model is no longer an option.
Would a foldable MacBook have been more important to you than another model between the Air and the Pro – or do you think the cancellation was the right decision? Feel free to disagree in the comments.
