Apple's First Touchscreen MacBook Pro: What to Expect

By Sidra Salman · October 28, 2026

Apple is holding an event today, October 28, in Los Angeles, and if the reporting is right, it will show the world something the company swore for years it would never build: a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen. The event is called "Pro and tell," and it may be the most interesting Mac announcement in a decade — not because of a faster chip, but because Apple is reversing one of its longest-held design beliefs.

Nothing here is confirmed until Apple says it on stage. Everything below comes from reporting, mainly from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has a strong track record on Apple's hardware plans. Treat the details as well-sourced expectations, not facts, and expect a few surprises when the event actually happens.

What Apple has actually confirmed

Apple sent invitations to media and analysts for an event in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, at 10 a.m. Pacific time. The tagline is "Pro and tell," and Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak teased it on social media on October 19 with the words "Can't wait to pro and tell next week," alongside artwork showing a finger touching a display. That artwork is doing a lot of heavy lifting — Gurman himself noted that it is "obviously a finger touching a display and drawing on it."

This is Apple's third product event in a short stretch, following a September iPhone event that introduced the foldable iPhone Duo and an October 13 "Welcome home" event in New York for its new HomeView smart display, HomePod mini 2, and Apple TV 4K. The pace is notable: it is a faster launch cadence than Apple has run in years.

The headline: a touchscreen MacBook Pro

According to Bloomberg's reporting, the star of the show is a redesigned MacBook Pro in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with two firsts for any Mac: a touchscreen and an OLED display. The screen is expected to use tandem OLED panels — two stacked OLED layers for extra brightness — replacing the mini-LED displays in current MacBook Pros. The notch is reportedly replaced by an iPhone-style Dynamic Island cutout, and the chassis is said to be significantly thinner and lighter, with a reinforced hinge to stop the screen wobbling when you tap it.

Here is the twist that will divide opinion: these flagship touchscreen models are expected to run the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the same chips already in the MacBook Pros introduced in March 2026. In other words, you would be paying for the screen, not for faster performance. Reported price estimates put the touchscreen models roughly $300–$500 above today's equivalents, which would mean around $2,800–$3,000 for the 14-inch and $3,300–$3,500 for the 16-inch, though Apple has announced no prices and estimates vary widely.

One thing not expected: Face ID. Reports say the new Macs will stick with Touch ID. And macOS is rumored to gain touch-friendly controls, which is a bigger software story than it sounds — Apple has to rethink parts of an interface designed for a mouse and trackpad for nearly forty years.

Why this is a genuine reversal

Apple executives spent years saying a touchscreen Mac was a bad idea. Former software chief Craig Federighi famously dismissed it in 2018 as ergonomically tiring, calling it "gorilla arm" — the idea that holding your arm up to poke a vertical screen gets uncomfortable fast. Apple instead pushed touch through the iPad and kept the Mac as a keyboard-and-trackpad machine.

So why now? The honest answer is that the market moved. Touchscreen Windows laptops have been normal for more than a decade, and they dominate offices and schools where people switch between typing and tapping. Creators sketch, annotate, and scroll directly on their screens. Apple watched that behavior for years, and the OLED redesign gave it a natural moment to change course. A touchscreen on a Mac is no longer a question of whether it is possible — it is a question of whether Apple can make it feel good.

That last point is the one to watch. If the hinge wobbles, or macOS touch controls feel bolted on, the feature will be a gimmick. If the hardware is stiff and the software treats touch as a natural extra — tap a button, scroll a page, sign a document — it could quietly become the way a lot of people use their Macs.

What else is expected

The event is reportedly not a one-product show. Also on the docket, per Bloomberg:

• A base 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip. This one keeps the current design — no OLED, no touchscreen — and simply gets faster, more efficient silicon. The M6 debuted in August inside the latest Mac mini. For buyers who want a new Mac without paying the touchscreen premium, this is the sensible pick.
• A refreshed 24-inch iMac with the M6 chip and new color options, again keeping its current design.
• A new iPad mini with an OLED display, a relocated front camera, a revamped speaker system, and better water resistance. Reports differ on the exact chip, so I would not bet on a specific processor until Apple confirms it.

Bloomberg has also reported that Apple retail stores are preparing to begin selling the new products on Friday, November 6. That date is unconfirmed by Apple, but it fits the company's usual pattern of opening sales about a week after an announcement.

Should you wait, or buy now?

This is the question that actually matters for readers, so here is my honest framework.

Wait if: you are buying a MacBook Pro and you like the idea of touch, or you want an OLED screen. The current MacBook Pro is excellent, but a redesign this significant is worth a few weeks of patience — even if you end up buying the current model, it may get cheaper once the new ones land.

Buy now if: you need a machine this week, or you want the best value. The M5 MacBook Pro is not going to get slower because a touchscreen version exists, and retailers often discount outgoing models when replacements arrive.

Skip the touchscreen premium if: you mostly type, code, or write. Touch is genuinely useful for sketching, annotating, and casual scrolling, but if your hands live on the keyboard, the base M6 MacBook Pro will give you more performance per dollar.

One caution: first-generation redesigns carry risk. New hinges, new displays, and new software interactions can have teething problems that reviews catch in the first weeks. If you are spending $3,000, waiting for early reviews is not cowardice — it is common sense.

What I will be watching at the event

Three things will tell me whether this is a real shift or a checkbox feature. First, the hinge: does the screen stay put when someone taps it hard? Second, macOS: does Apple show touch as a natural part of the system, or as a demo trick? Third, price: does the touchscreen premium stay reasonable, or does it push the MacBook Pro into territory where most buyers simply choose the cheaper M6 model?

If you are weighing a laptop purchase right now, our guide to choosing a laptop in 2026 explains processors, RAM, and storage in plain English, and our coverage of Apple's October 13 home event catches you up on the HomeView, HomePod mini 2, and Apple TV 4K. For the bigger picture on Apple's foldable bet, see our iPhone Duo story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Apple really launching a touchscreen MacBook Pro today?
Apple has confirmed an event called "Pro and tell" on October 28 in Los Angeles. The touchscreen MacBook Pro itself is not confirmed — it is reported by Bloomberg and other outlets. We will know for certain when Apple announces it on stage.

Will the touchscreen MacBook Pro cost more than the current model?
Almost certainly, but Apple has announced no prices. Published estimates suggest a premium of roughly $300–$500 over current MacBook Pro pricing, putting the 14-inch model around $2,800–$3,000. Treat all pricing as rumor until Apple confirms it.

Will macOS work like an iPad now?
No. Reports describe touch-friendly controls added to macOS, not a replacement of the Mac interface. The Mac will remain a keyboard-and-trackpad-first machine, with touch as an additional way to interact.

When can I buy the new Macs?
Bloomberg has reported that Apple stores are preparing to sell the new products starting Friday, November 6. Apple has not confirmed a sale date, so that remains a report, not a promise.

About the Author

Sidra Salman is the founder of Electronic Media, where she writes practical, research-backed guides on consumer electronics, gadgets and home entertainment tech. Every guide is tested and written in plain English for a US audience.