A new supply chain report suggests that Apple is planning to update its 24-inch iMac with OLED to make an improved and noticeably brighter display.
It's been described as the perfect Mac, but still the 24-inch iMac has seen only minor updates since it first moved to Apple Silicon in April 2021. Now it's reported that Apple is looking to at least significantly improve the display in a future release.
According to The Elec, has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to both Samsung Display and LG Display. An RFI typically includes finalized specifications for what a company wants, and the display firms can now bid to develop and supply it.
Not everything is know about this particular RFI, but reportedly it is for a 24-inch OLED display panel. It's believed to have a 218 pixels per inch resolution, and up to 600 nits brightness.
That's the same resolution as the 4.5K Retina display in the current 24-inch iMac. However, the current model has a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
Brighter screens are one hallmark of OLED. But the technology also offers better power performance and also higher contrast with improved black.
Apple has been working to move its Mac displays to OLED. However, the most recent report says that the display may initially be limited to the M6 Pro and M6 Max versions of the MacBook Pro.
That would mean panels of 14-inches and 16-inches, and the iMac's larger size will require different processes. This latest report says that both LG Display and Samsung Display will offer their existing large-format OLED screens to Apple.
So far, however, Apple has preferred what's called an RGB OLED instead of Samsung's quantum dot or LG's white OLED. RGB OLED uses separate red, green, and blue light-emitting layers that are arranged in a stack, meaning each one has its own dedicated light source.
That results in improved color, brightness, and power efficiency.
Both Samsung Display and LG Display have made stacked OLED screens before. Reportedly, their offer to Apple will include eventually moving to RGB OLED.
This is the second recent rumor to concern the iMac range. It follows a strong report that Apple is at least working on a new iMac Pro with the M5 Max processor, although it may just be for internal testing.
The Elec has good sources within Apple's supply chain. It is notably less accurate deriving information from these supply chain sources, and often gets predictions completely wrong, or best case, misses launch timing entirely, sometimes by years.
