Apple’s last MacBook Pro redesign was in 2021, and rumors indicate the next all-new design is coming in late 2026 with touch support and a whole lot more. Here’s why I’m more excited than ever for Apple’s forthcoming MacBook Pro upgrade.
Two new MacBook Pros might launch in 2026, but the M6 model is the one I want
Recent Apple news has understandably focused a lot on the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, AirPods Pro 3, and other brand new products.
But a new report this week on the 2026 MacBook Pro has turned my attention to the Mac.
Rumors currently indicate Apple might launch two MacBook Pros in 2026: an M5 model at the start of the year and a big M6 revamp in the fall.
The M5 model is expected to be largely a spec bump update to the existing MacBook Pro form factor. Which will be great for many users. But it’s not the model I’m excited about—the M6 is.
I’ve written before about how the M6 MacBook Pro has the potential to be one of Apple’s biggest Mac updates ever.
Now, with this week’s touchscreen rumor from a reliable source, I’m even more certain that will be true.
Here’s an overview of features expected for the M6 MacBook Pro.
Every rumored M6 MacBook Pro feature
Bloomberg has reported that the M6 MacBook Pro will offer a ‘total redesign’ that’s thinner and lighter than the current model. Though “thinner and lighter” probably raises red flags for longtime MacBook Pro users, I feel confident that this time around, Apple will strike the right balance.
This new MacBook Pro will also feature the first OLED display ever in a Mac. And it’s expected to drop the notch cutout entirely, for a truly all-screen design.
I know plenty of Mac users aren’t bothered by the notch, but it’s always been a sore spot for me.
Unlike the iPhone’s notch, which disappeared almost immediately to my eyes after I started using an iPhone X, the Mac’s notch continues to stick out to me after years of use.
And as someone who uses the M4 iPad Pro every day with its beautiful tandem OLED display, I’m very ready for Mac laptops to get an OLED upgrade.
Performance is another area the new MacBook Pro could impress.
Apple’s M6 chip is expected to be built with TSMC’s new 2-nanometer process. Based on what we’ve seen with prior chip packaging iterations, this could bring larger than usual year-over-year gains.
Rumors of Apple bringing cellular to the Mac keep swirling. And based on prior Bloomberg reports, it seems that a forthcoming C2 modem might be bound for the M6 MacBook Pro.
Cellular coming to the Mac has long been on my wishlist. I use the cellular feature in my iPad Pro every day, and can’t wait to get it on the Mac.
Finally though, what seemed like the biggest wildcard for the M6 MacBook Pro now appears likely to be happening: Apple will reportedly enable touch support for the first time.
Top comment by Luke Ireland
I'm on a MacBook M3 Pro. I have no reason to change in terms of my day-to-day work, but an integrated 5G modem would have my order on day one. Whatever anyone might say, tethering an iPhone isn't reliable enough.
That’s right, a touchscreen Mac is coming. Finally.
M6 MacBook Pro: a new era for the Mac
I’ve happily made the iPad Pro my primary computer for the last decade. But I still own and use Macs, and in many ways wish the Mac felt more like the right product for me.
Next year’s MacBook Pro sounds a lot like the device that could make that happen. With all of the rumored changes, the new MacBook Pro will easily be one of the Mac’s biggest updates ever. And with touch especially, it feels like the start of a new era for the Mac.
Are you excited about the redesigned M6 MacBook Pro? Which features are you most interested in? Let us know in the comments.
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