Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro to Cost 'Significantly' More [Gurman]

Apple is preparing a more expensive tier of MacBook Pro built around OLED touchscreens, according to Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter.

The 14-inch and 16-inch notebooks will fetch a "significantly higher price" than the current high-end models, which start at $2,499. Exact prices were not provided. The existing non-touch high-end Pros will remain in the lineup alongside them.

The redesign will look similar to current models but have a lighter enclosure. It also brings a Dynamic Island to the Mac, while OLED will deliver deeper blacks and better contrast than the mini-LED displays used today.

The decision to add touch followed internal disagreement. Tim Cook and current CEO John Ternus believed customers had begun to expect touchscreen Macs, while the industrial design team remained opposed. The compromise keeps the keyboard and trackpad central, with touch available as another input method.

To support that approach, macOS Golden Gate will adjust its interface based on whether someone has been touching the screen or using the trackpad. Tapping a button can bring up a menu around the finger, and the Dock and menu bar are being optimized for touch.

The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, which uses a regular M-series chip, will continue separately. An M6 version retaining the current design is expected alongside the premium models, with a redesigned version planned for 2027.

OLED versions of the MacBook Air and iMac are also in testing, though neither is imminent. The iMac expected this week will retain a non-OLED display, as will a refreshed Air due in early 2027.

Apple's 'Pro and Tell' event on October 28 begins at 10 a.m. Pacific Time in Los Angeles. Earlier retail preparations pointed to possible availability on November 6, based on a store floor reset the preceding evening. Apple has not announced when the new Macs will go on sale.