Apple’s Next MacBook Is Built to Replace More Than Just Your Laptop
For years, Apple has distanced itself from the idea that touchscreens belong on MacBooks. Despite persistent rumors, the company has held firm in its belief that touch input is best reserved for its iPads. But that stance may be shifting. A new report reignites the possibility of a touch-enabled MacBook. And this time, there’s evidence to support it.
MacBook Touchscreen in 2026?
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted on X that future MacBooks will finally integrate touch panels. He wrote, “MacBook models will feature a touch panel for the first time, further blurring the line with the iPad.” Kuo believes Apple’s decision stems from long-term observations that touchscreens enhance productivity and user experience on iPads.
He further noted that the first touchscreen MacBook is expected to enter mass production in late 2026, debuting with the OLED MacBook Pro. A second-generation MacBook powered by Apple’s A-series chipset may also include touchscreen support, which is slated for 2027.
MacBook models will feature a touch panel for the first time, further blurring the line with the iPad. This shift appears to reflect Apple’s long-term observation of iPad user behavior, indicating that in certain scenarios, touch controls can enhance both productivity and the…
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) September 17, 2025
Kuo’s report is based on supply chain analysis, lending credibility to the possibility of Apple adopting touchscreens for its laptops. However, such forecasts aren’t always guaranteed.
Interestingly, Kuo’s prediction echoes a 2023 report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who claimed Apple was considering a touchscreen MacBook Pro launch in 2025. But with the year nearing its end and no concrete details yet, that timeline appears to have shifted.
Are We Headed Toward a Hybrid iPad-MacBook Experience?
Regardless if this report materializes or not, there’s growing support for the idea of a touchscreen MacBook. Apple has been steadily merging macOS-inspired features into iPadOS, further blurring the line between its laptops and tablets. In iPadOS 26, Apple introduced a macOS-style menu bar, along with more flexible window resizing and repositioning via Stage Manager.
If Apple truly intends to bring touch functionality to future MacBooks, it would make sense for certain iPadOS features, like larger buttons, touch-friendly UI elements, and even pencil support, to trickle down into macOS.
Meanwhile, touchscreen laptops are no longer niche. For many years, Microsoft’s Surface lineup has offered both touch-enabled laptops and hybrids, and many of Google’s Chromebooks have featured touch panels from the start. With Apple’s massive reach in the laptop market, a touchscreen MacBook could quickly gain significant traction.
Personally, I think it’s the right time for Apple to embrace touchscreens. It could improve usability and give users the option to rely solely on a MacBook, without needing an iPad as a secondary device.
What do you think about a touchscreen-enabled MacBook? Would it enhance your workflow or change how you use your device? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
