New MacBook Pro may get an OLED upgrade

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macbook pro
The new MacBook Pro is stunner.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 8 may not be the only Apple product that gets an OLED upgrade next year.

Apple is reportedly testing new displays for next year’s MacBook Pro and is exploring the use of OLED, which offers lower battery consumption, brighter colors and sharper contrasts.

“Apple is currently looking into ways of using OLED panels for MacBooks and testing their performance,” reports Korean news site ET News.

OLED everywhere

The new MacBook Pro unveiled last week uses an OLED screen for the innovative new Touch Bar. One of the many benefits of using OLEDs are the darker blacks they produce. This allows the Touch Bar to blend in with the rest of the MacBook Pro keyboard, so it looks like just another key.

It’s been rumored for over a year that Apple plans to use OLED in the 2017 iPhone. Sharp President Tai Jeng Wu recently confirmed that Apple intends to transition to OLED displays next year. Other MacBook Pro rumors have claimed next year’s laptop will get a price drop and 32GB of RAM.

By switching to OLEDs on the MacBook Pro, Apple will be able to make the display even thinner while also upgrading performance. It’s unclear when Apple will make a MacBook Pro with an OLED display. The reports makes it sound like the switch is still in the consideration phase, so the technology may not be ready for the masses for two years.

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