A newly published Apple roadmap from research firm Omdia lays out the display technology headed to future MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iPad models, with launches beginning this fall and extending through 2029. The report is based on Omdia’s research into display panels, offering a detailed timeline of upcoming Mac and iPad releases.
The MacBook and iPad launch timeline
According to Omdia, the roadmap opens in late 2026 with the MacBook Pro/Ultra featuring 14.3-inch and 16.3-inch OLED displays, alongside an iPad mini with an 8.4-inch, 60Hz OLED panel.
Early 2027 is set to bring the MacBook Air in 13.6-inch and 15.4-inch LCD versions, plus an iPad Air offering 11-inch and 13-inch OLED displays at 60Hz. By mid-2027, the iPad Pro is expected to move to 11-inch and 13-inch OLED panels with added COE technology.
Late 2027 points to a refreshed MacBook Pro/Ultra with 14.3-inch and 16.3-inch OLED displays that add LTPO technology. Early 2028 lists another iPad Air update with 11-inch and 13-inch, 60Hz OLED screens. Looking ahead to 2029, the roadmap cites a MacBook with a 13.6-inch OLED display incorporating both LTPO and COE technology, plus another 8.4-inch, 60Hz OLED iPad mini.
Key details from the report
Several points stand out. Following the arrival of the OLED MacBook Pro/Ultra this fall, mini-LED MacBook Pro models are expected to remain available until at least 2028. That overlap could support the notion of the ‘Ultra’ branding applying to the OLED version.
The 13.6-inch 2029 MacBook is listed as a separate model in Omdia’s timeline. Based on earlier rumors, however, it may simply be the previously reported OLED MacBook Air, a device cited by Bloomberg and Ming-Chi Kuo.
Notably, the MacBook Neo does not appear in the roadmap. As a budget product, it is not expected to receive display upgrades for some time, which also accounts for the absence of base model iPads from the list.
What remains uncertain
Omdia also predicts that the OLED MacBook Pro/MacBook Ultra could offer an M5 Ultra chip option, though that claim reads more like speculation than confirmed reporting. The roadmap itself centers on display panels, so chip and pricing specifics remain outside its primary scope.
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Image: 9to5mac.com
