Samsung reportedly being tapped for 16-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro OLED screens

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited June 2020
Apple is considering the possibility of adding flexible OLED displays to its An early prototype of a flexible display panel
An early prototype of a flexible display panel

Rumors and speculation have pointed to Apple possibly using
OLED panels in its newest products, following its success in the iPhone X and later iPhone models. The technology boasts higher contrast and a more vivid display compared to the existing LCD display systems that currently power Apple's Mac lineup.

According to sources of TheElec, Apple is "considering adoption of OLED displays in its high-end Pro models of notebook and tablet PC product lines." Specifically, Apple is tipped to introduce a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an OLED display, while the 11-inch iPad Pro will switch from LCD to OLED.

Samsung has been tipped as a supplier of the OLED panels, but it is apparently negotiating supply of the components using a Thin Film Encapsulation (TFE) method of production, one that offers a number of benefits.

Typically associated with the production of flexible OLED panels, TFE uses a thin film layer instead of a glass substrate to hold the OLED panel, resulting in a thinner overall panel. There is also no need to add backlight modules as would be required for LCD, as OLED is self-illuminating, saving even more space.

By creating a thinner panel, this could lead to even thinner versions of the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, or a similar size but with more space for other components, such as increased battery capacity.

While the technology is for a flexible OLED, it does not mean that the MacBook Pro or iPad Pro would take advantage of the bendy nature of the component, just the space and weight-saving aspects.

Samsung is keen to become a display supplier to Apple for its folding technology, and has reportedly sent samples for potential use in the 2020 iPhone. The samples were sent in March, long before the withdrawal and delays in the release of the Galaxy Fold, a smartphone that showcases the technology's flexibility.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    xbitxbit Posts: 390member
    Who's making the keyboard?  :p
    JWSCednlmuthuk_vanalingamkestralMplsP
  • Reply 2 of 19
    AppleishAppleish Posts: 687member
    For the Actual new MacBook Pros. Not the chip bump we got this week that tech bloggers were calling a "new" machine.

    Although I have had zero problems with my MBP with the "faulty keyboard" that I only hear about online, I will be buying the next actual new model.
    edited May 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 19
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member
    Anyone have good info on whether these displays would be less reflective than the recent years' models of MacBook Pro?
  • Reply 4 of 19
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 966member
    If an OLED MBP comes out in about a year, then that means sane not-crazy people have to wait two years for the second gen model. le sigh
  • Reply 5 of 19
    JWSCJWSC Posts: 1,203member
    I don’t see Apple using a folding display any time soon.  It’s a gimmick.  Moving parts and portable/mobile devices don’t mix well.
    SpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 19
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    This is what I said before. Make GOTO Macbook Pro with current Retina dispaly, No touchbar, no upper end processors and other Macbook Pros with OLED screen, touchbar,sensors, high end processors, faster memory,etc. Actually smaller screen laptops like Macbook,Macbook Air and 13" MBP offers better usability with OLED kind of screen than 16" Macbook Pro.
    edited May 2019 MplsP
  • Reply 7 of 19
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    JWSC said:
    I don’t see Apple using a folding display any time soon.  It’s a gimmick.  Moving parts and portable/mobile devices don’t mix well.
    They already do in the iPhone. The display folds at the edges to get closer to the edges. I would imagine something similar here to reduce bezels, not like a Fold. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 19
    I'm curious to see how this OLED panel will handle the generally static images that would be common in laptop use. Screen burn-in is a serious downside of the OLED technology. Should we go ahead and start a new hashtag? #burningate

    "However, the pending issues of OLED use in PCs such as burn-in due to steady images like toolbars are still largely unsolved at this time."
    https://www.monitornerds.com/oled-pc-monitors/
    edited May 2019 SpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 19
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    Wait 16inch iPad vs 16inch MacBookPro I'd have a toughttime choicing between those.
    add iPad with remote access to a Mac over wifi and it would be the winner. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 19
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    macinfish said:
    I'm curious to see how this OLED panel will handle the generally static images that would be common in laptop use. Screen burn-in is a serious downside of the OLED technology. Should we go ahead and start a new hashtag? #burningate

    "However, the pending issues of OLED use in PCs such as burn-in due to steady images like toolbars are still largely unsolved at this time."
    https://www.monitornerds.com/oled-pc-monitors/
    I was about to post the same thing. Image burn-in is a serious downside.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 19
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    macinfish said:
    I'm curious to see how this OLED panel will handle the generally static images that would be common in laptop use. Screen burn-in is a serious downside of the OLED technology. Should we go ahead and start a new hashtag? #burningate

    "However, the pending issues of OLED use in PCs such as burn-in due to steady images like toolbars are still largely unsolved at this time."
    https://www.monitornerds.com/oled-pc-monitors/
    I also wonder if that is part of the reason Pro app makers all seem to be talking "Dynamic Interface" and AI contextual interfaces. THey say it's to get more screen space for the user by getting unneeded parts of interface out of way but do wonder if they are getting pressured by OS makers to avoid static images like icon trays on screen.
  • Reply 12 of 19
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    xbit said:
    Who's making the keyboard?  :p
    Well, it was going to be Huawei, but... ;)
    edited May 2019
  • Reply 13 of 19
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member

    JWSC said:
    I don’t see Apple using a folding display any time soon.  It’s a gimmick.  Moving parts and portable/mobile devices don’t mix well.
    They already do in the iPhone. The display folds at the edges to get closer to the edges. I would imagine something similar here to reduce bezels, not like a Fold. 
    Well, to be picky, I'd call that bending rather than folding; the key point is that it's  a static configuration, not folding and unfolding.

    mattinoz said:
    Wait 16inch iPad vs 16inch MacBookPro I'd have a toughttime choicing between those. 
    add iPad with remote access to a Mac over wifi and it would be the winner.  
    No, until they improve iOS the iPad remains a glorified iPhone. 
    macinfish said:
    I'm curious to see how this OLED panel will handle the generally static images that would be common in laptop use. Screen burn-in is a serious downside of the OLED technology. Should we go ahead and start a new hashtag? #burningate

    "However, the pending issues of OLED use in PCs such as burn-in due to steady images like toolbars are still largely unsolved at this time."
    https://www.monitornerds.com/oled-pc-monitors/
    Yeah - can you imagine how (justifiably) pissed people would be if their $2500 laptop got burn-in after 6 months? If they can fix the issues, OLED could potentially be awesome for a laptop, though. The screen is a major source of power draw for most laptops, so using an OLED screen with dark mode could significantly improve battery life without compromising image quality. 

  • Reply 14 of 19
    I have an LG OLED tv that handles the burn in problem. Here is the info from LG: Additionally, LG OLED TVs come with special features and settings to preserve image quality and prevent burn in and image retention. First, there is a Screen Saver feature that will turn on automatically if the TV detects that a static image is displayed on screen after approximately two minutes. There are also three options (available in Menu setting > Picture settings > OLED panel settings) that can be used to preserve image quality. The first of these is the Clear Panel Noise feature that preserves the quality of the image on the display panel by resetting the TV so that it clears the pixels. This feature can be turned on when needed within the settings mentioned above. The second feature that can be employed is the Screen Shift feature which, moves the screen slightly at regular intervals to preserve image quality. A third option is the Logo Luminance Adjustment, which can detect static logos on the screen and reduce brightness to help decrease permanent image retention.
    edited May 2019
  • Reply 15 of 19
    macinfishmacinfish Posts: 16member
    First, there is a Screen Saver feature that will turn on automatically if the TV detects that a static image is displayed on screen after approximately two minutes.
    That's probably fine for TV use.  For a computer that would be used 8 hours a day, not so much.  I can't image that any computer users currently have a two minute time-out for their screen saver.

    I think I'll wait for microLED.  

    http://https//www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/microled-vs-oled/

    https://www.wired.com/story/microled-samsung/
  • Reply 16 of 19
    smsmsmsm Posts: 12member
    How much longer will I have to wait for a 14” MacBook Pro? For me 14” is the perfect size. 13” is a little too small and 15.4 is too big. When ever I have used a 14” laptop it just feels the perfect balance for portability. Apple time to upgrade the 13” versions to 14”.
  • Reply 17 of 19
    It will be interesting to see how bad the screen burn-in is with OLED on a laptop.  I can see it now... the "  Safari  File  Edit  View "menu text will be burnt into the OLED display.  Let's go ahead start a new hashtag #burningate

    Screen burn-in with an OLED TV is a serious issue and video displayed on a TV is generally not static.  Menus and GUI elements on a laptop display are VERY static which is the enemy for OLED displays.  

    "However, the pending issues of OLED use in PCs such as burn-in due to steady images like toolbars are still largely unsolved at this time."
    https://www.monitornerds.com/oled-pc-monitors/
  • Reply 18 of 19
    Appleish said:
    For the Actual new MacBook Pros. Not the chip bump we got this week that tech bloggers were calling a "new" machine.

    Although I have had zero problems with my MBP with the "faulty keyboard" that I only hear about online, I will be buying the next actual new model.
    You don’t get to re-define “new” lol. There are people who buy a new MBP every year, some who buy every two or three years, and some that buy a new machine every eight to ten (or more) years. 

    If you only only want to buy when there’s a re-design, feel free; those who are buying the new 8-core to replace their 2018 6-core couldn’t care less. Maybe it’s just a difference in perspective for home consumers vs. pro users who make their living with their Mac. When you’re billing $100-250+ an hour, it can make a lot of sense to have the fastest machine. Selling a ten month old high-spec’ed MBP with two years left on AppleCare is unbelievably easy. 
    fastasleep
  • Reply 19 of 19
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    MplsP said:


    mattinoz said:
    Wait 16inch iPad vs 16inch MacBookPro I'd have a toughttime choicing between those. 
    add iPad with remote access to a Mac over wifi and it would be the winner.  
    No, until they improve iOS the iPad remains a glorified iPhone. 

    Hoping Mazipan is finally going to be the release of an iPad app store and OS. PadOS seems to be on the cards but not materialising for a couple of years now. Have a distinct place for Apps that crossover between pad and computer would be an advantage and iPadPros marketing is all about that already.
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