'Apple is entering 'the touchbar phase' again': MacBook OLED could be on
track to launch in a few months, but skeptics still hate that rumored touchscreen

Date:
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:23:59 +0000

Description:
Huge leak details Apple's Mac plans, including that MacBook OLED remains on track for a possible release later in 2026.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter We just got a fresh info dump
on Apple's incoming Macs It includes the assertion that the MacBook OLED may be on track for a debut later this year, and that it's now being tested with macOS 27.1 The laptop will have the M5 Pro and Max chips, with a follow-up potentially arriving as early as the end of 2027 with the M7 Pro and Max
Apple 's planning to launch a whole load of new Macs over the next couple of years, and if you were wondering about the MacBook OLED , seemingly this laptop remains on target for a possible launch later this year.

Mark Gurman spilled a whole lot of info and updates in a Bloomberg report
that details Apple's upcoming Mac overhauls, and how things stand right now (as ever, sprinkle seasoning on this liberally). The model that many people are interested in is that MacBook OLED which will be a high-end effort in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, sporting a touchscreen for the first time (not everyone's so keen on the latter, mind). They will pack the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, not the M6. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

Gurman says that this MacBook is currently being tested with macOS 27.1 by Apple, and that the device "remains on track for release between the end of this year and early next year". The leaker had previously asserted that we're looking at a late 2026 or early 2027 release (although there's a nuance here that I'll come back to shortly).

What about M6 MacBooks? We'll seemingly get a refresh of the low-end MacBook Pro 14-inch this year that packs the M6, and this will be the first launch to use the next-gen silicon. There will be new iMacs with the M6, too, all of which are supposedly arriving this fall (likely around October 2026, in other words, give or take a month). You may like Rumored MacBook Ultra could 'cost significantly more' than the MacBook Pro Apples rumored M-series chip roadmap could bring frustrating Mac delays I'm worried about the future of MacBooks and these M7 rumors are to blame

The MacBook Air isn't being ignored, of course, and Gurman informs us that a refresh of this consumer lineup is coming in early 2027, with 13-inch and 15-inch models that "closely resemble the current version" so don't expect much in the way of change.

Another MacBook Pro launch is, he says, planned for 2027 in the form of an entry-level 14-inch laptop with a new design that will be similar to the high-end OLED models, but this will have a major upgrade with the M7
(vanilla) chip. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign
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Unsurprisingly, he adds that a refresh of the popular MacBook Neo is
underway, which upgrades to an A19 Pro chip and offers more memory (new
colors will be added, too).

Further down the line for MacBooks, there might be a more radical change coming for the MacBook Air, with an OLED take on the notebook that Gurman
says could arrive in 2028, while a follow-up to the high-end MacBook OLED should debut between the end of 2027 and early 2028, with an upgrade from the M5 Pro and Max to the M7 Pro and Max.

Apple is also working on an iMac with OLED, Gurman believes, and we've heard about that before. (Much of this rumor dump is confirmation of previous speculation, it should be noted, with updates on timelines). What to read
next MacBook price rises could be far worse than iPhone 18 Pro, analysts predict macOS 27 Golden Gate announced at WWDC 2026 here's everything you need to know Apple's going all-in with the MacBook Neo but Microsoft is fighting back

Naturally, there'll be refreshes in the realm of the Mac mini and Mac Studio. The Mac mini is in testing with M5 Pro and M6 processors, we're told, and the Mac Studio looks to be running with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. These are trickier launches for Apple given the RAM crisis, and the need for beefier memory configurations causing additional headwinds for these particular Macs. Due to this, the launch timeframes for these purported products are still up in the air. Analysis: on track but out of touch? (Image credit: Lance
Ulanoff / Future) There's a lot in the pipeline, clearly, but the most interesting update here is that the high-end MacBook OLED is apparently still on target, and we could see it later this year potentially in just a few months. Remember that not so long ago, Gurman appeared to waver on the idea
of this touchscreen MacBook arriving in 2026 at all, but it seems that this
is still very much in the cards (although not guaranteed, by any means).

This device is notably still missing a name, and the leaker isn't referring
to it as the MacBook Ultra, as the broader rumor mill has been doing . That
it packs the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips makes sense, because there will only be
a vanilla version of the M6, according to what Gurman's heard on the
grapevine before Apple is apparently skipping swiftly over that generation
to get to the M7 and more powerful AI capabilities therein . The follow-up to the high-end MacBook OLED will carry the Pro and Max chips from the M7
family, as noted.

In this report Gurman frames all these revamped Macs as Apple looking to "capitalize on demand for powerful laptops and desktops fueled by the artificial intelligence boom", underlining the recent emphasis the leaker has placed on how important AI is for Tim Cook 's company now.

Predictably, this notion hasn't gone down well with some Mac fans, and the idea of a touchscreen on a MacBook (with that incoming OLED model) remains contentious, too, based on feedback from social media.

One Redditor puts it in particularly strong terms: "Touchscreen laptops are disgusting. I cannot fathom anyone actually using them. The ergonomics make
no sense, the fingerprint factor is horrible, the OS is not built around
touch the way tablets or phones are. Why are companies actively pursuing this technology in 2026?"

Another says : "Apple is entering 'the touchbar phase' again. Dark days lay ahead. I'll wait until they inevitably walk back whatever changes they make."

So, while people love the idea of an OLED, the fact that it's touch-capable
is certainly dampening enthusiasm in some quarters, not forgetting that it'll add to the price tag, which is one of the other big fears about this laptop. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best laptops for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best laptops 1. Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 2. Best budget: Apple MacBook Neo 3. Best Windows 11 laptop Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch 4. Best thin and light: Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 5. Best Ultrabook Asus Zenbook S 16



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/macbooks/apple-is-entering-the-touchbar-ph ase-again-macbook-oled-could-be-on-track-to-launch-in-a-few-months-but-skeptic s-still-hate-that-rumored-touchscreen


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