MacBook Pro with OLED could get a touchscreen display in 2026

A new rumor says Apple is exploring adding the feature after it's been requested for years

(Credit: Apple)

• 💻 Apple’s future MacBook Pro with OLED could have a touchscreen

• 📅 A new rumor says the feature will be added in late 2026

• ⏪ This aligns with previous rumors we’ve heard about the future of the MacBook Pro

• 👀 The change could mark a shift in how Apple views the MacBook Pro

Apple might give the MacBook Pro a touch screen next year. The laptop is expected to switch to using OLED panels in late 2026, and according to a new rumor from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, that also means gaining touch sensitivity. It’ll mark the first time an Apple laptop ships with a touchscreen, something the company has fervently avoided doing to draw wider distinctions between the Mac and iPad.

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💻 Touch screen MacBook Pro in 2026?

Kuo says that the first MacBook Pro with a touch screen will enter mass production by late 2026, which likely means the laptop will be released near the tail-end of next year or in early 2027. The shake-up reportedly indicates Apple’s recognition that in certain scenarios, having a touch screen can be handy for productivity and the overall user experience.

It’s something that’s been widely regarded as impossible. Apple has made it clear over the years that a touch screen on a MacBook wouldn’t be happening, and that the only computer it would sell with a touch screen would be the iPad. However, the Mac and iPad have grown exponentially similar in terms of software and performance (especially this year with iPadOS 26, which is more macOS-like than ever). It’s clear that the two devices are following similar paths, so at this point in time, it’s not all that crazy to imagine a MacBook with a screen you can touch.

The MacBook Pro in question that’s rumored to gain a touch screen is expected to switch to OLED panels, which offer better contrast and color than Apple’s current fleet of Mini LED panels. It’ll also allow for a thinner display, which could help reduce the weight and thickness of Apple’s high-end laptops. Samsung is rumored to be the primary supplier of OLED panels for the future MacBook Pro. It’s expected to be powered by Apple’s M6 series of processors and - potentially - ditch the notch in favor of a Dynamic Island.

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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.