Apple may be preparing a significant display upgrade for its 24-inch iMac, with new supply chain information suggesting the company is considering a move to OLED technology. If implemented, the change would mark the most notable improvement to the iMac line since it transitioned to Apple Silicon in 2021.
According to a report from The Elec, Apple has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to both Samsung Display and LG Display for a new 24-inch OLED panel. An RFI typically signals that a company has finalised its technical requirements and is inviting suppliers to propose solutions, indicating that Apple is actively evaluating options rather than merely researching possibilities.
While full details of the request have not been disclosed, the report claims the proposed OLED panel would feature a resolution of 218 pixels per inch and reach brightness levels of up to 600 nits. That would represent a noticeable improvement over the current 24-inch iMac’s 4.5K Retina display, which shares the same resolution but tops out at 500 nits of brightness.
Beyond higher brightness, OLED displays offer several advantages over traditional LCD panels, including deeper blacks, higher contrast ratios, and improved power efficiency. These benefits have already led Apple to adopt OLED technology across its iPhone and Apple Watch lineups, and the company has been gradually laying the groundwork to bring OLED to Macs as well.
Recent reports have suggested that Apple’s first OLED Mac displays may debut in future MacBook Pro models powered by the M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, with 14-inch and 16-inch panels expected initially. The larger size of the iMac display presents additional manufacturing challenges, requiring different production processes than those used for laptop panels.
The Elec reports that both Samsung Display and LG Display are proposing their existing large-format OLED technologies to Apple. However, Apple is said to favor RGB OLED panels, which use separate red, green, and blue light-emitting layers stacked together.
This approach differs from Samsung’s quantum dot OLED and LG’s white OLED technologies and is known for delivering better color accuracy, higher brightness, and greater energy efficiency.
Both display suppliers have experience producing stacked OLED panels, and the report suggests that their proposals to Apple may include a roadmap toward RGB OLED production tailored to Apple’s requirements.
The OLED iMac rumor follows other recent speculation around Apple’s desktop lineup, including reports that the company is testing a new iMac Pro powered by the M5 Max chip. Whether that device will reach consumers remains unclear.
While The Elec is known for strong sourcing within the display supply chain, its reporting on Apple timelines has been inconsistent in the past, with some predictions arriving much later than expected or not materialising at all. As a result, while an OLED iMac appears to be under consideration, any potential launch timeframe remains uncertain.
