A new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is suggesting that Apple may be working on a touchscreen-equipped Macbook. While this may be nothing new for those who are familiar with Windows-based laptops in the market, the addition of the display technology would be a first for the company and its portable computer line up.
On that note, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the Pro version would hold the honour to be the first from the MacBook series to receive the touchscreen treatment. The report adds that this particular model will be part of a larger refresh of the variant, in efforts to keep Apple’s computer lineup as compelling to consumers as possible.
Gurman says despite featuring touchscreen technology, the laptop will still retain its traditional design. In other words, its standard trackpad and keyboard will still be present, though expect newer features such as the iPhone and iPad styled touch-based gesture commands to be supported on this model. However, you may have to wait a while for this revamped version of the laptop to hit the market as it is estimated that the company would only launch it in 2025.
In addition, the new touchscreen-equipped MacBook Pro will also see Apple shift from using LCD to OLED panels, which would allow it to offer improved brightness and colour. Gurman notes that this particular display would eventually be expanded to its other MacBook models, as well as the Pro variant of its iPad products. In regards to the latter, it is expected that the first OLED-powered iPad Pro will debut in the first half of 2024, which is more or less a year ahead before we get to see the allegedly revamped MacBook Pro.
And even though it’s been reported that the company is also working on developing its own microLED panels, it appears that the supposedly new in-house display tech won’t be showing up on its laptop line-up. Or at least not yet.
For Apple users, the potential introduction of a touchscreen-equipped MacBook is a long time coming, especially given the fact that competitors have already been using the technology on their portable computers for a while now. Ironically, the company’s late co-founder Steve Jobs disagreed with the idea of adding the technology to its laptop products, calling it “ergonomically terrible.” Then again, Jobs also despised styluses, but that didn’t stop Apple from launching its Pencil accessory years after his passing.
(Source: Bloomberg)
