For years, Apple dismissed the idea of touchscreens on Macs, with Steve Jobs famously arguing that vertical touch interaction was ergonomically poor. That position shaped MacBook design for more than a decade, reinforcing Apple’s strategy of keeping the Mac and iPad separate so consumers would buy both devices. But with demand shifts and Windows laptops making touchscreens standard, Apple is preparing to reverse course.
According to Mark Gurman, Apple decided internally in late 2022 to add touchscreens to the Mac. The plan is tied to the next major MacBook Pro redesign, which will feature OLED panels. Supply constraints have pushed the timeline back from 2025 to late 2026 or early 2027. This week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo echoed that report, confirming that Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro will be the first Mac to get touch capability.
The change reflects a broader convergence of Apple’s product lines. iPads and Macs already share the same apps, similar interfaces shaped by the Liquid Glass design language, and common input methods like trackpads and stylus support. Adding touch to the MacBook Pro narrows the gap further, though Apple is unlikely to merge the two categories. The iPad will remain a hybrid device with flexibility and battery efficiency, while the Mac will continue to lead on performance and traditional productivity workflows.
Touch support also aligns with consumer expectations. Nearly every premium Windows laptop now includes a touchscreen, and younger buyers view it as a default feature. Apple’s long resistance is giving way to market realities, especially as Mac sales have surged on the strength of Apple silicon and macOS improvements, while iPad sales have slowed despite major hardware revamps.
If touch proves successful on the MacBook Pro, it will likely expand to other Mac models over time. That could mean future MacBook Air and even iMac redesigns adopting touch input, further erasing the once sharp divide between Apple’s two computing platforms.
Apple may never publicly admit it has changed direction, but the move signals a pragmatic shift. Rather than holding onto Steve Jobs’ philosophy, the company is adapting to what the market now demands. For Mac users, the upcoming OLED MacBook Pro with touchscreens could represent the most significant change to the product line in years.
