💻 Apple is reportedly working on two MacBook Pros with OLED screens
⚫️ The laptops might ditch the notch for a hole-punch cutout
🏝️ That could mean Apple is working to bring the Dynamic Island to the Mac
📅 We expect the MacBook Pro OLED to arrive sometime in 2026 or 2027
Apple is expected to ship the first MacBook Pros with OLED screens in 2026, and we’re starting to learn more about what we can expect with the new machines. It turns out that we could be in for a design change, as a new report from research firm Omdia suggests the company will ditch the notch at the top for a hole-punch cutout, potentially enabling the Dynamic Island.
MacBook Pro might get a hole-punch like the iPhone
Omdia says that it expects the new OLED MacBook Pros to pop up sometime between 2026 and 2027, which aligns with previous rumors we’ve reported on. In its notes, the research firm says that it expects Apple to switch from a notch to house the FaceTime camera to a hole-punch cutout, while retaining the rounded corners at the top.
Eliminating the notch would be beneficial for Mac users. Right now, it takes up enough space at the top of the screen that some menu items in certain apps get blocked, and third-party developers have to optimize their apps to accommodate. The hole-punch cutout would likely be much smaller, especially since we don’t expect it to be as long as the iPhone’s since the MacBook will stick with Touch ID instead of switching to Face ID.
Could Dynamic Island come to the Mac?
Of course, on the iPhone, the switch to a hole-punch cutout led to the introduction of the Dynamic Island. It’s the floating UI feature at the top of your phone that shows real-time information and controls based on the app you’re using. There are a lot of third-party concepts and apps that try to emulate the experience on Mac with the notch, but a hole-punch cutout on the next-generation MacBook Pro OLED could mean Apple will ship the feature itself for a more integrated experience.
So far, we haven’t heard whether Apple plans to add the Dynamic Island to its laptops, but it doesn’t seem likely that the smaller hole-punch would remain stagnant if it’s “alive” on the iPhone. It could be helpful to track export progress of a video, timers, and have control over media right in the menu bar if Dynamic Island does come to the Mac, but we’ll have to wait and see what Apple decides to do before getting our hopes up.
In the meantime, we expect the MacBook Pro to remain as-is with a notch at least until Apple swaps the mini-LED screen for an OLED one. Omdia also says it expects the MacBook Air to switch to OLED in 2028 but remain the same notch as it currently has. The iPad mini and iPad Air will also get OLED screens at some point before then.
Max Buondonno is a writer at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop.
The MacBook Pro already has the Dynamic Island.