Apple readies touchscreen MacBook Pro with iPhone-style Dynamic Island
What's the story
Apple is all set to bring its innovative Dynamic Island feature, first seen on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, to its upcoming OLED touchscreen MacBook Pros. The new models are expected to launch closer to the end of 2026 in 14-inch and 16-inch screen sizes. However, unlike their iPhone counterparts, the Dynamic Island on these new MacBook Pros will be "smaller," as reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
UI upgrade
New user interface for touch and point-click inputs
Along with the new hardware, Apple is also planning to update the Mac's user interface for its upcoming touchscreen models. The update will make the interface "dynamic," improving usability for both touch and point-and-click inputs. For example, tapping a button or control would trigger a new menu around the user's finger, offering more relevant options for touch commands.
Change in stance
Apple's previous resistance to touchscreen Macs
Apple has long been resistant to the idea of touchscreen Macs, with co-founder Steve Jobs once saying that "touch surfaces don't want to be vertical" and that touchscreens on a Mac would be "ergonomically terrible." However, the company now actively promotes the iPad as both a touchscreen tablet and a device compatible with a Mac-like keyboard. This shift indicates Apple's changing perspective on touchscreen technology for its computers.
Launch details
Timeline for new Macs and iPhone updates
Despite the major changes, the new touchscreen Macs won't be revealed at Apple's planned March 4 event. Instead, they are expected to hit the market "closer to the end of 2026." Apart from this, Apple is also planning to introduce a smaller version of Dynamic Island on its upcoming iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.