A Touchscreen MacBook May Appear Very Soon.
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If there’s one area where MacBooks lag behind Windows laptops, it’s gaming . But there’s another area: display technology. While Apple still clings to its signature Retina LCD displays, Windows computers have been transitioning to OLED and touchscreens for years. Fortunately, industry experts believe MacBook owners will soon be able to expect better displays.
The latest rumors come from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, both of whom have a reliable history of covering Apple products. While this isn’t the first time Apple has updated its laptop displays, we now have more definitive information.
According to Kuo’s September 17 X post , the MacBook Pro will be the first MacBook with an updated OLED display, and as a bonus, the new screen will support touch. The updated model is expected to “enter mass production by the end of 2026,” though, as is typical with leaks, the post didn’t cite specific sources to confirm this. However, reading between the lines and recalling Kuo’s previous accurate speculations , it’s likely an anonymous source within Apple.
Gurman, who also frequently relies on similar sources, was quick to echo Kuo’s assertions in his weekly Power On newsletter this weekend, citing his original 2023 report on the topic. However, the reporter also added that the actual release date could be closer to early 2027, depending on how quickly Apple can begin shipping. He also clarified that the update was technically planned for this year but was pushed back “due to OLED display supply issues.”
As for the rest of Apple’s MacBook lineup, none of the experts provided updates on the matter, though Gurman suggests that “if touch control resonates with the MacBook Pro, I expect it to eventually appear in other Mac models.”
While the advantages of a touchscreen laptop are obvious, an OLED display ranks higher on my personal wish list. The technology’s self-illuminating pixels certainly improve contrast, but, as on the iPhone , they should also extend battery life. The problem is that while modern MacBooks use a backlight that covers the entire display surface, some parts of the OLED screen may remain off when not in use.
Notably, the timeline proposed by Kuo and Gurman coincides with the release of the iPad Pro last year , which featured an OLED display for the first time. Considering that iPadOS 26 also updated the iPad’s user interface, making it much more similar to the MacBook’s , Apple is likely planning to achieve greater parity between its product categories.
In this regard, Kuo also reminded readers that development of a potentially more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone processor could begin later this year, although details have not yet been disclosed. The analyst, however, noted that this model will likely not support a touchscreen, although this could change in the future.
As for other Apple product rumors, the potential foldable iPhone, which Gurman says “will be the star of Apple’s 2026 product lineup,” remains in the dark for now. As my colleague David Nield predicted , the reporter’s sources are increasingly telling him that “users should imagine two titanium iPhone Airs side by side,” but exact pricing and release dates remain a mystery.