There's been no shortage of rumors regarding Apple's next iMac. Shortly after a leak suggested that Apple would launch an all-in-one desktop with an M5 Max processor, a new leak has emerged suggesting that Apple will switch to an OLED panel for the upcoming iMac.
Korean publisher The Elec reports that Apple is planning an OLED iMac, which would be a significant departure from the IPS LCD panels currently used in iMac devices. Though if you've ever used the latest iMac, you know that Apple has made the most of that screen tech to create a solid-looking display, and I expect the company will do the same with its first OLED iMac.
What we know about the new iMac OLED
Apple is apparently asking Samsung and LG, companies it typically partners with to make displays for its devices, for information on meeting the specs Apple has put forth.
Presumably, the display makers will be able to handle what Apple wants, and then it'll be a matter of Apple getting quotes to determine which company can meet the demands for a better price.
And what are those specs? Fortunately, the leak from The Elec contains the specs Apple has requested: "The iMac OLED specifications recently requested by Apple are known to be 24 inches, 600 nits of brightness, and 218PPI (Pixels Per Inch) in pixels," reads the request reported by the Korean publication.
If the iMac with an OLED display comes out, it would improve the all-in-one computer's brightness. In fact, based on the specs Apple is looking for in the report, the screen could be up to 20% brighter than the existing 24-inch iMac.
Before you get too excited, the report also suggests that because this is in the early stages, Apple won't finish the OLED iMac until 2027 or 2028, with a release window sometime after that.
The other bit of bad news is the 24-inch size mentioned in the specs. Apparently, Apple isn't looking into larger OLED displays for the iMac, as the OLED tech it's considering doesn’t support panels larger than 30 inches. If you've been holding out for a large iMac with an OLED, you might need to keep the hope burning for a while longer.
MacBook Pro OLED up first
Apple has gradually started switching its devices to OLED, but it hasn't gone all-in yet. First, the Apple Watch got the newer screen technology. From there, Apple started adding OLED to its beloved iPhone and iPad models.
On the back of its smartphones, the Cupertino company is expected to put OLED screens on the MacBook Pro M6. And it could also be the first MacBook with a touch screen display.
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