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Key takeaways of zdnet
- A touchscreen with OLED may come to the end of McBook Pro 2026.
- A more affordable MacBook with the iPhone chip will not get touchscreen.
- Despite sharing features with MacBook, the iPads must still recover.
Over the years, Apple’s rumors have been working on adding touchscreen to their Macbook lineup. In 2023, Bloomberg Informed The active development of the device, which was first slate to launch in 2025. It seems that the project is real, and its release has been transferred to next year.
According to a new X (East Twitter) Post From the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the cupertino giants are finally ready to include a touch panel on the MacBook Pro next year.
Kuo took the X and said, “This (Macbook model with a touch panel) appears to reflect the long -term observation of the Apple of the iPad user behavior in the shift, indicating that in some scenarios, touch control productivity and overall user experience can increase.”
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The touch-competent MacBook Pro is slate to launch by the end of 2026 and use on-cell touch technology.
What about iPad?
Apple has argued for more than a decade that touchscreen does not work well on laptops and iPad is a better option if a touch interface wants.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Last year, Apple Vice President of IPAD and MAC product marketing Tom Bogar said that Apple does not see MacBook and iPad as competitive devices. The iPad, he said, “has always been a touch-first device, while MacBook is used with trackpad/mouse and a keyboard.
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Nevertheless, rival brands with Windows-based machines have democrats a touchscreen on the laptop. In fact, I am currently typing this article at an Honor Magicbook Art 14 (2025), which packs the OLED touch panel in the 1KG form factor. I should accept, I often do not use touch functionality – perhaps some touch or swipe there, but no active use.
Lines
I believe that a touchscreen is more functional on iPad than laptop for two reasons.
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First of all, it supports a touch-able OS, and second, it runs the mobile app. Most desktop software is not designed to be touched, which is why Microsoft Surface Pro never allowed the pro widely adopted. I loved the form factor for taking notes in college, but the utility in touch mode was limited to cases of artistic use with surface pen. And Windows has not yet developed for an easy touch experience.
I think a similar position will arise on a touch-sensitive MacBook Pro, until Apple does not provide a spontaneous transition between desktop software and its mobile-equivalent apps. Anyway, it is blurring lines between MacBook and iPad with the new iPados 26. I have used the latest version, and new multitasking features provide unique improvements in productivity.
However, I do not see it a direct contestant of MacBook Air or Pro because it cannot run a desktop software. I still feel limited when I have to enter a story in the Content Management System (CMS), but mobile safari and chrome throw aerrs.
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If both iPad and MacBook are touched in 2026, the operating system would be the biggest difference between two computing devices. With iPads, you will get a mobile OS made for touch-first input with face ID and 5G. On the other hand, a touchscreen will offer more ports, better performance and desktop software created for McBook Pro Keyboard and Trackpad/Mouse input.
Apple is also rumored to launch a more affordable MacBook model run by the iPhone processor with 5G. However, according to Kuo, it will not get a touch panel.
