Touchscreen MacBook Pro may be released next year, OLED display and notchless design draw attention

Media reports say that Apple plans to launch its first touchscreen Mac computer—a redesigned MacBook Pro, expected to be released in late 2026 or early 2027.

According to media citing informed sources, these new models, codenamed K114 and K116, will not only have thinner and lighter bodies but will also be equipped with M6 series chips.

Analysts believe this move marks Apple starting to catch up with the overall trend of the computer industry. More than ten years ago, many manufacturers had already launched touchscreen laptops, while Apple has spent years researching better solutions, trying to improve upon existing designs.

As early as January 2023, media reported that Apple was developing a touchscreen MacBook Pro. Sources told the media that this new MacBook Pro will use OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) technology displays—the same standard used in iPhones and iPad Pros—marking the first time Apple adopts this higher-end, thinner screen in its Mac products.

Apple’s stock price fell at midday Thursday, and the decline narrowed after the news broke.

Prices May Be Higher

According to reports, the new MacBook Pro will retain a full-size trackpad and physical keyboard, similar to the approach of Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and Microsoft. This means users who are not used to touch operation can continue to use traditional methods.

In addition, the new MacBook Pro will remove the current “notch” design (the camera cutout at the top of the screen), switching to a punch-hole design similar to the iPhone’s “Dynamic Island,” with the camera surrounded in the screen.

Apple has also developed reinforced hinges and screen components to address the common problem of screen wobbling during touch input on laptops.

Media report that, due to higher-cost components, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models may be several hundred dollars more expensive than the current versions. The high-end MacBook Pro without touch starts at $1,999 for 14-inch and $2,499 for 16-inch.

The existing MacBook Pro design has been around since 2021, but Apple just launched a 14-inch base model with an M5 chip on Wednesday. Media have previously reported that Apple also plans to launch unchanged M5 Pro and M5 Max models in early 2026.

Attitude Towards Touchscreens Has Shifted

Sources told the media that Apple has not yet actively pushed development of more touchscreen Macs, instead planning to observe the market response to this touchscreen MacBook Pro first. This is Apple’s consistent strategy—to trial new features on high-end models before rolling them out to more product lines.

For years, Apple has opposed equipping Mac computers with touch functionality, believing that such a design is both difficult to use and ergonomically unsuitable. Apple has preferred to encourage users who want a touch interface to purchase an iPad instead.

The late Apple CEO Steve Jobs stated as early as 2010 that “touch interfaces are not suitable for vertical operation,” implying such interaction is not suitable for computer screens. Current CEO Tim Cook once mocked combining tablets and laptops as “joining a toaster and a refrigerator together.”

In 2016, Apple attempted a compromise by launching Touch Bar—a touch strip above the keyboard, replacing the traditional function key row, offering task-related controls. But this feature was ultimately not widely accepted and has since been removed from products in recent years.

Internally, Apple was concerned that touchscreen Macs would cannibalize iPad sales. However, in recent years iPad growth has slowed, while touchscreens have gradually become a standard feature in PCs.

In fact, Apple has been gradually narrowing the gap between iPad and Mac by unifying the operating interface, processors, and app ecosystem. The Magic Keyboard for iPad, launched in 2020, further proved that users welcome the mixed operation mode of touch and keyboard/trackpad. That accessory has become a key selling point for iPad Pro.

Equipping MacBook Pro with touch functionality is expected to drive users to upgrade to higher-end products, bringing new revenue opportunities. While the $999 MacBook Air remains Apple’s best-selling laptop, the high-end touchscreen MacBook Pro may attract users to upgrade or switch from Windows PCs to the Apple ecosystem.

Additionally, Apple is developing new MacBook Air models equipped with M5 chips, codenamed J813 and J815, scheduled for release next spring. The company is also working on updated versions of Mac Studio, Mac mini, and two external monitors, codenamed J427 and J527.

Apple is also exploring another major change for the Mac product line: shifting from Touch ID (fingerprint recognition) to Face ID (facial recognition). However, this change is expected to take several more years to realize.

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