Abstract:
The latest forecast from market research firm Counterpoint Research shows that as Apple is expected to introduce OLED display technology to the MacBook Pro product line, the Mini-LED notebook display panel market is facing rapid shrinkage. Data shows that between 2025 and 2027, annual shipments of Mini-LED notebook panels are expected to decline by about 75% cumulatively.
Since 2021, Apple MacBook Pro has been using Mini-LED display. However, Counterpoint predicts that notebook panel shipments using Mini-LED technology will decline by 38% in 2026 and further decline by 60% in 2027. After two consecutive years of sharp contraction, the overall shipment scale will only be about a quarter of that in 2025.
In stark contrast, the OLED market continues to expand. The report predicts that OLED notebook panel shipments will increase by 50% in 2026 and another 24% in 2027, with an overall increase of approximately 86% compared to 2025. Counterpoint believes that Apple’s upcoming OLED version of MacBook Pro and the growing demand for high-end AI PCs are key factors driving the accelerated development of the OLED market, even though the entire notebook display market is expected to shrink by 3% in 2026.
Research institutions pointed out that OLED technology is being adopted by more and more manufacturers due to its thinner structure, better display effects and increasing cost competitiveness. At the same time, tandem OLED design and the commissioning of larger-scale production lines will further support market growth.
For MacBook Pro users, display technology upgrades may also bring about a major change in the history of Mac products. According to reports, the new generation of OLED MacBook Pro is expected to support touch input for the first time. Korean media previously disclosed that Samsung Display will become the exclusive supplier of new 14-inch and 16-inch OLED touch panels, and related products will be manufactured on its 8.6-generation production line in Asan, South Korea.
Apple is expected to officially release the OLED version of MacBook Pro at the "Pro and tell" event in Los Angeles on October 28. According to information previously disclosed by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the new model will not only significantly reduce the weight of the fuselage, but also cancel the current notch design and use a Dynamic Island solution similar to the iPhone.
The report also said that during the product transition phase, Apple may sell both the OLED version and the existing Mini-LED version of MacBook Pro, allowing consumers to choose. However, as time goes by, Mini-LED models are expected to gradually withdraw from the market. At the same time, the starting price of the OLED version is said to be up to $500 higher than the existing model.
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