Apple is reportedly developing a 24-inch OLED iMac that could debut later this decade, pairing a brighter, more efficient display with next-generation M5 silicon as the company reshapes the future of its all-in-one desktop.
Apple is reportedly developing its first OLED-equipped iMac, with a 24-inch model in development that could also usher in the next generation of Apple silicon via an updated M5 chip.
According to a report from Korean outlet The Elec, the Cupertino company has approached both Samsung Display and LG Display to explore OLED panels suitable for a 24-inch iMac, targeting a development timeline that could conclude around 2027 or 2028.
If realised, it would mark the first time Apple has brought OLED technology to its all-in-one desktop, following its broader push to transition MacBook Pro and, eventually, MacBook Air models to OLED displays.
The reported panel specifications point to a familiar resolution, matching the current 4.5K Retina iMac at roughly 218 pixels per inch, but with brightness rising to around 600 nits.
That would represent a modest but meaningful upgrade over today’s 500-nit LCD iMac, while OLED technology boasts deeper blacks, higher contrast, faster pixel response times and improved power efficiency.
Panel sourcing remains an open question, as Samsung is said to be expected to propose its quantum dot OLED (QD-OLED) technology, while LG Display would likely offer its white OLED (W-OLED) solution.
Both suppliers are reportedly developing more advanced five-stack OLED structures to boost brightness.
Apple’s preferred RGB OLED approach, where each subpixel emits its own colour, reportedly still struggles to scale reliably to desktop sizes, making it a longer-term option.
Separately, leaked internal software has hinted that Apple is testing an iMac powered by the upcoming M5 Max chip, fuelling speculation about a higher-end iMac revival alongside the mainstream 24-inch model.
While there is no firm indication that OLED is tied to that pro-focused machine, Apple could refresh the existing 24-inch iMac with a standard M5 chip as early as next year, keeping the OLED version for a later generation.
Taken together, the reports suggest Apple is rethinking the iMac’s future on two fronts, those being display technology and performance.
OLED may still be several years away, but it signals that Apple’s desktop line is far from standing still.
Apple ‘working on 24-inch OLED iMac with updated M5 chip’
