Apple’s next MacBook Pro generation is moving through internal testing faster than the rumor mill expected. The 14-inch and 16-inch models with touch-enabled OLED displays are already running on macOS 27.1 inside Apple’s labs, well ahead of any public release.
The detail comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who tracks Apple’s internal builds and hardware pipeline closely. macOS 27.1 itself is expected to ship in late October.
Apple Now Seems More Confident About a 2026 Launch
Gurman had previously said these OLED MacBook Pro models could land in either late 2026 or early 2027. That window just got tighter.
His latest report groups the laptops with a list of products arriving “later this year,” which reads as a stronger signal that Apple is targeting a release before December 31. Testing a device on a specific macOS point release is usually one of the last steps before a launch, not an early one.
Expect a Thinner Design With a Dynamic Island Instead of a Notch
The OLED MacBook Pro isn’t just a screen swap. Rumored changes include:
- M5 Pro and M5 Max chips
- A thinner overall chassis
- A Dynamic Island cutout replacing the current notch
- Touch support built into the OLED display
That combination would make this the biggest visual redesign for MacBook Pro since the notch itself was introduced.
These Will Sit Above the Standard MacBook Pro Lineup
Branding rumors have floated the idea of a separate “MacBook Ultra” name for these OLED models, though that hasn’t been confirmed and shouldn’t be treated as settled.
What is clearer is positioning as the OLED models are expected to be distinct, higher-priced options that sit above the regular 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Those standard models aren’t going away, and they’re expected to skip M6 entirely, jumping straight to M7 Pro and M7 Max chips sometime next year.
The first developer beta of macOS 27.1 is expected within days.
