Apple announces touchscreen MacBook Pro after 15 years of refusal
Apple has unveiled an OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro, reversing a stance held since Steve Jobs dismissed touch laptops in 2010, according to The Verge.
The facts
- According to The Verge, Apple announced a touchscreen MacBook Pro with an OLED display, after resisting the idea for more than 15 years.
- Prices start at $2,899, nearly $1,000 more than the regular MacBook Pro, per The Verge.
- Apple says it redesigned the hinge to cut screen wobble, though The Verge notes demos show some wobble remains.
- The software adds a touch-friendly menu bar, larger window buttons on touch, trackpad-style gestures and a tappable Dynamic Island.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
For years, Apple's executives said touch on a laptop was a bad idea. Now Apple says a generation of young creators expects to touch the screen. That's not a change of principle. That's a change of market. The more interesting question is whether the Mac and the iPad keep drifting closer together.
For builders
Apple will need developers to support touch in macOS apps, and the Touch Bar shows how that can go wrong. The basics like scrolling and pinch to zoom are reportedly handled by the system, so check your app's tap targets and gestures before assuming you need a rebuild.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from The Verge's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.