Apple appears to be moving ahead with significant changes to its upcoming MacBook Pro lineup, as a report indicates a touchscreen version is on track for a 2026 release. The new MacBook Pro models may also feature Dynamic Island, similar to the iPhone. However, the Dynamic Island on the MacBook Pro could be smaller than the version currently seen on iPhones like the iPhone 17.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s first touchscreen Macs are expected to feature a Dynamic Island at the centre top of the display, along with a new “dynamic interface” tailored for touch. The interface would reportedly adapt to user input, for example, displaying contextual menus around a tapped control to make touch commands more intuitive. Apple is also said to be enlarging certain interface elements to improve usability on a touchscreen.
The touchscreen MacBook Pro is said to feature OLED panels in both 14-inch and 16-inch models, replacing the current Mini LED technology. The company reportedly wants to make the transition between mouse and touch input as seamless as possible, without turning the MacBook into a full iPad-like device.
Historically, Apple resisted adding touch functionality to Macs. Steve Jobs famously argued in 2010 that “touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical” and that “touchscreens on a Mac would be ‘ergonomically terrible.'” The company has instead promoted the iPad as its primary touchscreen computing device, but this strategy appears to be evolving.
The anticipated release window for these new MacBook Pro models is “closer to the end of 2026.” Gurman also notes that Apple will not unveil the touchscreen laptops during its March product announcements, where “at least five products” are expected to be introduced.
The OLED MacBook Pro models are rumoured to debut with Apple’s next-generation M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, developed using a new 2-nanometre process. This upgrade will follow a spring refresh of the current MacBook Pro line featuring updated M5 chips, indicating Apple is planning two back-to-back major MacBook Pro updates.
