Apple’s iMac could get a massive display upgrade, but not anytime soon

With Samsung and LG racing to deliver prototype OLED panels, Apple's long-rumored display upgrade for the iMac is moving from wishful thinking to active development, setting the stage for a stunning, end-of-decade desktop transformation.

By Shikhar Mehrotra Published March 30, 2026

iMac with M4 — Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

If you’ve been eyeing an iMac upgrade might want to get comfortable, because one of the most substantial updates isn’t coming anytime soon.

According to a new report from ZDNet Korea, Apple is actively working with display suppliers to add OLED panels to the iMac, and when it does arrive, it might be the largest OLED display the company has ever shipped on a device.

What exactly is Apple asking for?

The Cupertino giant has reportedly reached out to Samsung Display, LG Display, and a few other panel makers. Why? Well, for sourcing 24-inch OLED samples with a target peak brightness of 600 nits and a resolution of around 218 PPI (which, in theory, is an upgrade from the current iMac’s LCD panel).

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Out of all the suppliers, Samsung is expected to move first, as it wouldn’t want to lose out on a gigantic order from Apple. The Korean display manufacturer is planning to produce 220 PPI samples using its larger-format Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) production lines.

For those catching up, the projected resolution is notably higher than Samsung’s 160 PPI QD-OLED external monitor panels. Sample shipments could arrive at Apple headquarters by the second half of 2026.

Meanwhile, LG Display is also in the race, though its samples may trail in brightness due to a different panel design. Even so, the company is reportedly developing an advanced five-stack design, along with a next-generation technology called eLEAP that might close the gap.

So, when will OLED iMacs actually land?

Here’s the not-so-exciting part. Apple is reportedly targeting a 2029 or 2030 launch for its OLED iMac. That’s around three-and-a-half to four years from now, a couple of years after the touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro is rumored to come out.

For the time being, the current 24-inch machine is due for a more modest M5 chip refresh. So yes, a glow-up for Apple’s desktop machine is coming, just not for a few years.

Shikhar Mehrotra

News Writer

For more than five years, Shikhar has consistently simplified developments in the field of consumer tech and presented them…

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