OLED iMac to Get Five-Layer LG Panel to Prevent Screen Burn-In

A future iMac with an OLED display could use a five-layer light-emitting panel being developed by LG Display. The extra layer is designed to reduce the risk of screen burn-in and boost brightness, according to The Elec.

LG Display currently makes four-stack OLED panels for high-resolution monitors, arranging the emitters in a blue-green-blue-red pattern. The five-stack version reportedly adds a third blue layer, creating a blue-green-blue-red-blue sequence.

Adding another emitting layer spreads the electrical load, which matters at high pixel densities, where each pixel and its light-emitting portion become smaller. Pushing more current through a smaller emitter to maintain brightness is said to shorten panel lifespan and increase the likelihood of image retention.

Apple sent requests for information to Samsung Display and LG Display last December about developing OLED panels for the iMac. The specifications discussed included a 24-inch screen with 600 nits of brightness and 218 pixels per inch. The current 24-inch iMac with LCD delivers 500 nits at the same density.

LG Display has already shown a 27-inch 5K panel at 220 PPI with an RGB stripe subpixel layout. Since it uses the four-stack structure, it is likely not intended for an iMac, but The Elec suggests it serves as a gauge for high-density RGB stripe OLED and whether the company can manufacture it in volume.

The main drawback of five stacks is cost. More emitting layers mean more organic material and a reportedly trickier deposition process. At the same time, LG Display has to meet Apple's brightness and lifespan requirements without hurting its yields.

Samsung Display is developing QD-OLED for the same purpose. Both suppliers are targeting 2028 to have the first iMac OLED panels ready, but a product launch is unlikely before 2029. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to refresh its current 24-inch LCD-based iMac with a new processor.