Apple is planning to introduce OLED displays with significantly broader color coverage across future MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and iMac models, according to a new report from display industry research firm TrendForce.
The new panels would cover 95% of the BT.2020 color standard. For context, the screens Apple ships today target the DCI-P3 standard, which covers a much narrower slice of visible color.
The practical difference is most apparent in saturated reds, greens, and blues, which appear deeper and more accurate than what current Apple displays produce.
What Changes on Screen
For photographers, video editors, and anyone doing color-sensitive work, that gap between DCI-P3 and BT.2020 matters.
A display that hits 95% of BT.2020 can render a wider range of natural colors with less distortion, meaning an edited photo or video looks closer on-screen to what a camera actually captured.
Streaming content mastered for wide-gamut displays would also benefit, as more of the original color information would reach the viewer intact.
Reaching BT.2020 coverage requires changes at the pixel level. Panel manufacturers are reworking the light-emitting layer inside each pixel.
By using more complex material combinations, they can deliver purer colors and better energy efficiency.
Some approaches add a secondary material to boost efficiency; others incorporate additional compounds to slow the gradual loss of brightness that affects OLED panels over time.
Timeline Across Apple Devices
Apple brought OLED to the iPad Pro in 2024. The MacBook Pro is expected to follow with an OLED panel sometime between late 2026 and early 2027.
The iMac is also listed among the devices slated to receive the upgraded displays, though TrendForce does not give a specific timeframe for that model. Apple is expected to roll out the wider-gamut panels gradually rather than all at once.
TrendForce notes that competition among display suppliers is shifting as a result. Manufacturers historically competed on brightness and panel thinness. The next phase centers on color accuracy, power draw, and manufacturing cost.
The material changes also reduce dependence on licensed technologies, thereby affecting the supply chain relationships between panel makers and the chemical suppliers that support them.
Anyone considering a MacBook Pro purchase now or holding off on an iPad Pro upgrade will weigh whether the display improvements justify the wait. Based on TrendForce’s reporting, the MacBook Pro appears to be the nearest candidate for the change.
