Everyone is waiting for Apple to bring OLED displays to MacBooks, and we’re expecting an OLED MacBook Pro in the next couple of years. The MacBook Air, however, may remain OLED-less even in 2027, according to a new tip from Korean outlet The Elec.
Instead, it seems Apple has begun developing a different kind of screen upgrade for the 2027 Air — an oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD). The inferior screen is often people’s biggest complaint about the MacBook Air series, so any improvement will likely be welcome, but it’s definitely a shame that OLED still seems to be out of reach.
One of the MacBook Air’s main features is its affordability, and it appears that OLED technology remains too expensive at the moment to incorporate it into the Air without introducing a price hike.
Raising the price may have been considered an option at one point but after the poor sales of the expensive OLED iPad Pro, Apple seems convinced that its customers aren’t happy to pay more just for a better screen.
If the 2027 MacBook Air’s TFT LCD display is really nice, perhaps Apple’s compromise will work out fine — but there’s a chance that a portion of the Air’s audience will remain disappointed with the lesser quality.
In this case, it feels like we have a bit of a problem. The Pro lineup is just a little too big and fancy for some people, but the Air lineup is just a little too budget. In other words, maybe we need a new type of product to cater to those stuck in the middle.
Imagine an Air-style MacBook whose specs aren’t restricted by a predetermined price point but only by its other defining features. Basically, they could give it a nice display and fill it with the best stuff they can while keeping the fan-less, lightweight design.
You’d probably end up with a “MacBook Air Pro” type product for people who love the Air’s portability and design but are willing to pay for better specs. I would be one of those people — I’m a MacBook Air owner with pretty much zero interest in MacBook Pros, and I know I would switch to this middle-ground product if it existed. I want a better screen!
As much sense as it makes to me, however, there’s no sign that such a product is on the horizon so let’s hope this TFT LCD display looks real good — or that the price of OLED falls dramatically over the next couple of years.
