Zum ersten Mal seit 19 Jahren könnte der touchscreenfähige MacBook Pro von Apple 2026 auf den Markt kommen.
On September 18th, Kuo Ming-chi, an analyst at TF International Securities, stated in a recent report that Apple plans to integrate a touch panel for the first time in its first OLED MacBook Pro and mass-produce it in 2026. This means that for the first time in the 19-year history of the MacBook, it will break through the interaction boundary of "only supporting keyboards and mice".
Kuo Ming-chi pointed out in the report that data on the use of the Magic Keyboard with the iPad Pro over the past five years shows that approximately 38% of users use both touch and keyboards/mice during creative work (such as drawing and taking notes). Especially in scenarios like education and design, touch operations can improve task efficiency by 22%. This "tablet-like" usage habit has prompted Apple to re-evaluate the interaction logic of the MacBook.
It is reported that the touch solution for the touchscreen MacBook Pro is not a simple transplant of iPad technology. Instead, it uses On-Cell technology to directly embed the sensors into the screen. This technology integrates the touch sensors directly into the top layer of the display, rather than relying on a separate touch layer, which can effectively reduce the panel thickness and improve the screen response speed. Meanwhile, the screen will use the same double-stack OLED technology as the iPad Pro. According to earlier reports, Samsung will supply OLED displays for the touchscreen MacBook Pro.
In addition, Kuo Ming-chi also revealed information about a budget MacBook. He said that Apple hopes to reduce costs through the energy efficiency ratio of the A-series chips. It plans to mass-produce a 13-inch MacBook in the fourth quarter of 2025. This product will be equipped with the same A18 Pro chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, with a starting price as low as $599, targeting the young market. The second-generation budget MacBook (in 2027) has also reserved an interface for the touchscreen.
Previously, there were reports that the MacBook Pro models equipped with the M5 chip might be launched at the end of 2025. However, in July this year, well-known tech journalist Mark Gurman said that Apple is considering postponing it to early 2026. This timeline coincides with Kuo Ming-chi's prediction that Apple will launch a touchscreen MacBook Pro next year.
Looking back at history, Apple's attitude towards touchscreens has undergone a "decade-long reversal". In 2012, Steve Jobs said directly at a press conference, "Touchscreens are not suitable for vertically placed computers. Human arms are not windshield wipers." Since then, the MacBook has always adhered to the positioning of a "professional tool". It wasn't until 2016 that Apple launched the MacBook with a Touch Bar, but it was abandoned due to its lack of practicality. As the cross-device collaboration between iPadOS and macOS has become increasingly mature, and the M-series chips bridged the ARM architecture in 2023, perhaps the time is right for Apple to launch a touchscreen MacBook.
This article is from the WeChat official account "Jiemian News". The author is Li Kefeng. It is published by 36Kr with permission.