New MacBook Air OLED timeline reveals two unfortunate drawbacks

1 week ago 9

Last week we received word that the MacBook Pro would be getting OLED and lose its notch starting in 2026. That same report also detailed the OLED timeline for Apple’s other products, and it doesn’t look great for the MacBook Air in two key ways.

MacBook Air’s long OLED wait puts it in rare class

Research firm Omdia published a display timeline for Apple’s Mac and iPad products. It runs all the way through 2030 and details when to expect key upgrades across a variety of devices.

But the timeline doesn’t have the best news for MacBook Air users, in two ways:

OLED won’t be coming to the device for quiet a while
and when it does arrive, it will lack a key upgrade

On that first point, Omdia says the MacBook Air won’t get OLED until around 2028, nearly two years after it comes to the MacBook Pro.

It’s not unusual for the MacBook Air to lag behind the MacBook Pro in display technology. However, the delay seems especially long because, per the timeline, both the iPad mini and iPad Air will be getting OLED before then.

Omdia says the iPad mini is set to gain OLED in 2026, while the iPad Air will follow suit in 2027.

So not only will the MacBook Air wait 3-4 more years for OLED—it will also be one of the last Apple products to gain the display tech.

Unfortunately, that’s not where the bad news stops.

OLED MacBook Air will still have a notch

The MacBook Air, when it finally does get OLED, will still retain the same notch design it currently has—per Omdia.

This is especially unfortunate news since the MacBook Pro’s 2026 OLED upgrade will remove the notch. It’s getting a smaller hole-punch cutout instead.

Yet it seems the MacBook Air, Apple’s bestselling, flagship Mac, is keeping the notch design for a long time to come.

Timelines and details can always change, especially since we’re years out from these expected updates. But for now, things aren’t looking great for MacBook Air display upgrades.

What do you think about the MacBook Air’s OLED news? Is it a problem, or no big deal? Let us know in the comments.