Touchscreen MacBook Pro looks "100% confirmed" as macOS 27 gives Sidecar full touch support

[Daniel Sims]

What we know so far: Apple CEOs Steve Jobs and Tim Cook had long opposed touchscreen controls for Macs, but recent reports and updates have hinted that the capability is on the horizon. With an M6-powered MacBook Pro expected to emerge later this year, a new macOS 27 feature might have finally confirmed touchscreen support.

Prominent tipster Instant Digital recently stated that he is "100%" certain the next MacBook Pro model will feature a touchscreen, reversing Apple's stance regarding vertical touchscreens. The claim follows earlier reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that the company plans to release the next major MacBook Pro revision later this year.

Testers also recently discovered a new feature in the macOS 27 developer preview that indicates Apple has fully optimized the operating system's interface to accommodate touchscreen controls – namely, full touchscreen support for Sidecar.

Sidecar has long enabled users to turn an iPad into a second display for a Mac. However, support for the iPad's touchscreen on macOS 26 and earlier is limited to the Apple Pencil, the Mac Touch Bar, and a few basic touch gestures. Vibe coding enthusiast BLCNYY recently shared a video clip in which he scrolled through the Settings app and interacted with multiple user interface elements using only his finger.

– BLCNYY (@BLCNYY) June 9, 2026

The late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once claimed that touchscreens on laptops and desktop monitors felt uncomfortable to use, and his successor, Tim Cook, later echoed the comments. However, giving iPadOS 26 a more macOS-like interface might have been the first step toward making the latter fully touchscreen-compatible.

Although Apple released upgraded MacBook Pro models featuring the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors earlier this year, additional models with more dramatic revisions are expected in the coming months. Gurman previously reported that they will feature a new M6 SoC built on a 2nm process and an OLED touchscreen. The new display design will reportedly replace the notch with a Dynamic Island that is smaller than the iPhone's while retaining similar functionality.

Furthermore, the new MacBook Pro might not be a Pro model at all, but rather the debut of a "MacBook Ultra" lineup. Apple may extend the "Ultra" moniker from the Apple Watch Ultra to its other product lines. For example, the company might name its long-rumored first foldable smartphone the iPhone Ultra.

With a touchscreen and 2nm chips, the MacBook Ultra would almost certainly be significantly more expensive than the latest MacBook Pro, which already climbs well past the $2,000 mark. Unfortunately, it is not expected to be a 2-in-1, as Apple intends to keep the MacBook and iPad product lines separate for now.

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Touchscreen MacBook Pro looks "100% confirmed" as macOS 27 gives Sidecar full touch support

 

[Axeia]

First Microsoft listening to users, now Apple listening to users...

What's next, flying pigs? NVIDIA cards with a decent amount of VRAM? Out of those two my money is on flying pigs.

 

[noblody]

I do not like people pointing things on my screen (mostly the fingerprints they leave behind), now I'd have to guard against visitors moving files, or starting random things on my computer and having to lug extra weight for it. I do not really see the point in having touch screen on a computer that already has appropriate input devices like keyboard, pad, mouse.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Cmon apple, stop blue balling us and put macOS on the ipad already!

I do not like people pointing things on my screen (mostly the fingerprints they leave behind), now I'd have to guard against visitors moving files, or starting random things on my computer and having to lug extra weight for it. I do not really see the point in having touch screen on a computer that already has appropriate input devices like keyboard, pad, mouse.

I'm curious as to why you let random people poke your several thousand dollar piece of equipment.

Also....you can just disable the touch function if you dont want to use it. I think you will be able to handle the extra 0.2 pounds without throwing your back out.

 

[Anton Longshot]

Personally I think touchscreens belong on phones and tablets.
I've had a touchscreen laptop under my hands but to me such screens are useless for input and remain unused.
While that's really a non-issue I refuse to PAY for a touchscreen on my laptops unless the screen's removable and can be used as a tablet.

As always "to each his own" but I think it's a niche thing and not worth pursuing for Apple.

 

[Burty117]

I've had a touchscreen laptop in the past and if anything, it just caused more pain than it was ever useful, you needed special drivers to make it work, it'd make windows do weird things in the GUI so it was all touch compatible etc... this was some time ago however, I hope things have improved.

A colleague of mine got a convertible laptop, you could spin the screen all the way around and use it as a giant tablet, that had some uses, but due to its size and weight, it wasn't particularly regularly used like that.

I don't really understand the benefits of this move, maybe it is a way to finally get MacOS on iPad Pro? I guess we'll see.

 

[noblody]

Cmon apple, stop blue balling us and put macOS on the ipad already!

I'm curious as to why you let random people poke your several thousand dollar piece of equipment.

Also....you can just disable the touch function if you dont want to use it. I think you will be able to handle the extra 0.2 pounds without throwing your back out.

the said random people are my colleagues at work
people pay $100 for a lighter charger so there must be a thing about small weight gains even for backpacks not only bikes.

 

[LordVile95]

All a touch screen will do is up cost and ruin the UI. Macs have a track pack that make the touchscreen redundant. If you want a touch screen get an iPad Pro.