Katarzyna Petru
Apple laptops have evolved cautiously for years. The processors change, performance improves, ports make a comeback, and controversial additions like the Touch Bar disappear. However, the overall design remains almost untouched. That may change now.
The end of the notch, time for touch
According to reports from Bloomberg, Apple is working on a MacBook Pro with a full-fledged touchscreen. This is a significant shift in philosophy, as the company has claimed for years that touch on a laptop makes no ergonomic sense. The new generation is expected to combine traditional keyboard and trackpad controls with direct finger interaction on the screen. The macOS system will be appropriately adjusted. The interface is designed to recognise the method of interaction and dynamically enlarge menu elements when the user employs touch. This does not mean the end of the physical keyboard. Apple is not planning a hybrid in tablet style, but rather a fully-fledged laptop with enhanced interaction.
OLED and Dynamic Island in the laptop
The second major change is the transition from Mini-LED to a OLED panel, which will provide deeper blacks and higher contrast. This technology, known from iPhones and iPad Pros, is now set to come to MacBooks. The characteristic notch is also expected to disappear. Instead, Apple is reportedly going to introduce a solution inspired by Dynamic Island, which is a dynamically changing cutout around the camera, responding to notifications and background processes. To prevent the screen from wobbling when touched, the hinge construction is to be further reinforced. At the same time, Apple intends to slim down the entire device's form factor.
M6 Chips and Higher Prices
The new MacBook Pro is expected to be based on the M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, manufactured using a 2 nm process. This should lead to further increases in performance while simultaneously reducing power consumption. The launch of this revamped generation is anticipated for the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027. However, the rise in production costs associated with OLED and the new design implies one thing – prices are set to rise. It can be assumed that the base configuration will not be cheap.
Apple is preparing the most significant change in the MacBook Pro line in years. Touchscreen, OLED panel, Dynamic Island, and M6 chips could completely transform the way macOS is used. This is an ambitious step that may attract new users but also elevate the hardware's price to an even higher premium level.
Source: Bloomberg
