Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro will incorporate the Dynamic Island feature, signaling a significant transformation in its user interface. According to a Bloomberg report citing informed sources, Apple intends to release its first Mac models with touchscreens later this year, with an expected launch around late 2026. The devices will feature the Dynamic Island positioned centrally at the top of the screen and will utilize OLED display technology identical to that used in iPhones.
The new MacBook Pro will retain a similar external design to current models, including a full-size keyboard and a large trackpad. However, reports indicate that the Mac will introduce a refreshed dynamic user interface, allowing seamless switching between touch and click inputs. For instance, if a user touches a button or control, the interface will display a new menu around the user's finger, offering more relevant touch-based options. The goal is to provide controls that best match user habits based on whether they are touching or clicking.
Despite these changes, Apple does not plan to position the new MacBook Pro as a replacement for the iPad. Instead, the company aims to allow users to freely alternate between touch input and traditional mouse-based navigation.
The Dynamic Island is coming to Mac, accompanied by an upgrade to OLED screens. Reports from sources indicate that Apple is undertaking a comprehensive redesign of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, internally codenamed K114 and K116, with plans to release them by the end of 2026. The new models will feature OLED displays, marking Apple's first adoption of this screen technology in its Mac product line.
The Mac version of the Dynamic Island will be built around the camera cutout and will be smaller than the pill-shaped notch found on current iPhones. Notably, Apple also plans to introduce a more compact Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, set to launch later this year. The Dynamic Island feature first debuted with the iPhone in 2022, displaying alerts, sports scores, media controls, and supporting third-party application integrations.
Software preparations for this transition have been underway for some time. Last year's macOS Tahoe update, featuring a "liquid glass" design language, laid the groundwork for the touchscreen MacBook Pro's arrival. This version increased spacing for certain icons and notifications and optimized control center sliders for touch interaction.
For decades, Apple has been critical of touchscreen laptops, with co-founder Steve Jobs once dismissing such experiences as "ergonomically terrible." As recently as 2021, Apple's head of hardware, John Ternus, stated in a media interview that the company had already created the "world's best touch computer" with the iPad and saw no reason for change. However, with touch functionality becoming increasingly common on Windows laptops, and Apple's deeply integrated cross-platform application ecosystem now providing more mature conditions for touch integration on Macs, the company's strategic direction appears to have shifted.
Beyond improvements in chip performance, Apple also needs to continuously attract Mac users with more differentiated new features. Reports indicate that these redesign plans were initially disclosed as early as 2023.