MacBook users think Apple hints at touchscreen laptop following macOS 27.2 update
Many think that sight is the most important of our five senses, but don't sleep on touch. There's a reason that Apple broke from the herd and introduced the iPhone as the world's first touchscreen in 2007, and while many might've laughed Steve Jobs out of the room for suggesting we do away with buttons, it's a gamble that paid off (in trillions of dollars).
The iPhone has become the backbone of Apple as it continues to celebrate the success of the iPhone 18 lineup and the upcoming iPhone Duo, but let's remember that the tech giant started out with computers.
We've seen Apple roll out the red carpet for revamped tech in 2026, with claims that the long-awaited HomePad will be revealed this October.
Apparently, a second showcase of new products could be on the way, with a touchscreen MacBook being another first for the tech giant.
Touchscreen MacBooks rumored for 2026
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According to MacRumors, code in the macOS Golden Gate 27.2 update makes mysterious references to touch-specific gestures in a whole host of apps. Spanning everything from Safari to Photos, it's our biggest hint yet that a much-hyped OLED touchscreen MacBook is waiting in the wings.
Code hidden in the latest beta includes a touch sentinel recognizer for Safari, Photos getting PXGTouchDwellGestureRecognizer, Notes adding ICTouchPressGestureRecognizer, and Quick Look including a dragTouch feature.
Before we get too excited, the outlet notes that the code could also be used for Sidecar.
For those who don't know, Sidecar is an inbuilt macOS feature that lets iPad owners use their device as a second screen for your Mac.
Full touch input was added to Sidecar with macOS Golden Gate, but for many, this is enough to get them saving for a brand-new generation of MacBook.
We've never had a fully touchscreen MacBook, and although the MacBook Pro included the Touch Bar as a customizable OLED touchscreen from 2016 to 2021, we'd assumed this kind of tech might've been left behind.
What do we know about the 'MacBook Ultra'?
Whispers about a souped-up MacBook known as the 'MacBook Ultra' are nothing new, with it first doing the rounds in January 2023. Back then, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed Apple engineers were working on a touch-enabled laptop and targeting a 2025 release window.
In September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned "on-cell touch technology" that would be built into OLED panels as a way to keep the screen thin.
October 2026 sees Gurman again writing for Bloomberg, saying the timeline has been accelerated and the higher-end MacBook Pro is a bigger story than the first rumored OLED iPad Mini. Noting that the switch to touchscreen is 'significant', he also pointed to the adoption of OLED for sharper contrasts, and macOS Golden Gate to support touch input and the Dynamic Island.
More than this, Gurman referred to these new MacBook Pros as significantly lighter. With Apple supposedly overhauling the MacBook's interior, it's managed to miniaturize parts and rearrange components to make everything lighter.
The current MacBook Pro weighs up to 4.8 pounds, so shaving off a bit of excess weight would be a welcome addition.
Adamant that touchscreen MacBooks are currently testing with macOS 27.2, Gurman expects them to arrive by November.