Touchscreen MacBook Pro: Could it cost Dh11,000? Features and specs ahead of ‘Pro and tell’

Apple is expected to unveil its first touchscreen MacBook Pro on Wednesday, October 28, at an event in Los Angeles called “Pro and tell”.

The company confirmed the event date and tagline on October 19 but has not revealed which products it will announce. The expected details come from reports by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, supply-chain sources and clues found in macOS beta software.

The biggest changes could include OLED touchscreens on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, a Dynamic Island in place of the current notch, and a lighter design. The laptops are expected to use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips and cost more than current models.

Apple has not confirmed these specifications, prices or release dates.

Apple’s October 28 event: What we know

Apple’s second launch event of the month is scheduled for October 28 at 10am Pacific time in Los Angeles, which is 9pm in the UAE.

The event follows Apple’s October 13 “Welcome home” launch in New York. Marketing chief Greg Joswiak teased the new event on X, while invited media members shared their invitations online.

Unlike a traditional keynote, the October 28 gathering is described as an all-day experience for the media. As of October 19, Apple had not listed a livestream.

Bloomberg’s Gurman initially reported October 27 as the event date before updating it to October 28.

Other products that could launch

Alongside the touchscreen MacBook Pro, Apple is expected to introduce:

• An OLED iPad mini.

• An updated iMac with an M6 chip and the same design as the current model.

• An entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip, without a touchscreen or major design changes.

These launches remain unconfirmed.

Expected release dates: Pre-orders for the new products could open as early as Friday, October 30, according to Forbes. Bloomberg reports that Apple Stores are preparing to begin selling them on Friday, November 6.

The screen: OLED, touch and Dynamic Island

The display is expected to be the biggest upgrade.

Both MacBook Pro sizes could replace their current mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR displays with tandem OLED panels, a technology already used in the iPad Pro. OLED offers deeper blacks and improved contrast, while the tandem design can deliver higher brightness.

The new panels are also expected to support touch input, making these the first touchscreen Macs.

What else could change?

• Samsung Display: The South Korean company is reportedly the exclusive supplier of the 14-inch and 16-inch OLED panels. The Elec reports that production will use Samsung’s 8.6-generation manufacturing line in Asan, South Korea.

• Dynamic Island: Bloomberg’s Gurman reported in February that Apple could replace the wide notch with a small camera cutout surrounded by a Dynamic Island. Like the feature on the iPhone, it could display alerts, media controls and Live Activities.

• No Face ID: Reports suggest the camera cutout will not include Face ID, meaning users should not expect facial recognition on these models.

M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, not M6

The latest Bloomberg reporting points to M5 Pro and M5 Max chips for the touchscreen MacBook Pro.

This differs from earlier reports that suggested the redesigned laptops would launch with M6 Pro and M6 Max processors.

One possible explanation emerged in June, when AppleInsider reported that Apple had shelved the M6 Pro and M6 Max plans for this generation. The next major touchscreen redesign could instead use M7-class chips.

The standard M6 chip is still expected to arrive in the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and the iMac.

Some reports continue to mention M6 Pro or M6 Max chips for the touchscreen models, but the newer Bloomberg reporting points to M5 Pro and M5 Max instead.

What this means for buyers: The touchscreen MacBook Pro could focus on display and design improvements rather than a major performance boost. Buyers choosing between the new touchscreen model and the entry-level M6 MacBook Pro may be deciding between display features and chip generation.

Design: Lighter, but not necessarily thinner

The redesigned MacBook Pro is expected to be lighter than current models, although it may not be significantly thinner.

Gurman previously suggested that Apple was working on thinner, lighter frames. In early October, however, he indicated that the new laptops would be noticeably lighter without a major reduction in thickness.

For context, the current 16-inch MacBook Pro weighs about 4.7 pounds.

Apple has also reportedly developed a reinforced hinge to prevent the screen from wobbling when users tap it. This detail first appeared in reports in October 2025.

Software: macOS adapts to touch

Apple is reportedly adding touch controls to macOS rather than turning the Mac into an iPad.

The keyboard and trackpad are expected to remain the main ways to use the laptop, with touch providing an additional option for tapping, scrolling and dragging.

Gurman has reported that macOS could adjust its interface depending on whether users interact with the screen using their fingers or a pointer.

Features spotted in reports about macOS 27 and its beta versions include:

• Touch-friendly menus: Tapping a control could bring up options near the point of contact, making them easier to reach.

• Larger menu items: Menu bar controls could expand when tapped to make them easier to select.

• Changes to Safari: In macOS 27.2 beta software, browser tabs reportedly lift and enlarge when dragged before returning to their normal size.

• Support in more apps: Code references suggest touch gestures could work in Notes, Photos and Quick Look.

• Existing touch features: macOS 27 has already introduced full touch support in Sidecar and a pull-to-refresh gesture.

The new laptops are reportedly being tested internally with macOS 27.1 and 27.2. Their final software version has not been confirmed.

Will it be called MacBook Ultra?

Earlier rumours suggested Apple might introduce a new “MacBook Ultra” name for its most advanced laptops.

However, the “Pro and tell” event tagline and Bloomberg’s latest reporting suggest Apple is more likely to retain the MacBook Pro name.

Apple has not officially confirmed the name.

How much could the touchscreen MacBook Pro cost?

Apple has not announced prices, and no reliable report has established the final figures.

The new models are expected to cost more than the current M5 Pro MacBook Pros, which MacRumors lists at $2,499 for the 14-inch model and $2,999 for the 16-inch model following an earlier price increase.

Estimates range from a price increase of up to 20% to a starting price close to $3,000. The higher cost of OLED panels and reported memory shortages have been cited as possible factors.

These figures remain speculative until Apple announces official pricing.

What it could cost in the UAE: Apple launched the current M5 Pro MacBook Pro here in March at Dh9,299 for the 14-inch and Dh11,499 for the 16-inch, and iSTYLE now lists the 16-inch M5 Pro at Dh12,499. If the OLED models carry the 20% premium some analysts expect, the 14-inch would start around Dh11,150 and the 16-inch near Dh13,800. However, that's an estimation, Apple's own UAE pricing will be clear on October 28.

Why Apple’s first touchscreen Mac matters

A touchscreen MacBook Pro would mark a major change in Apple's approach to laptop design.

For years, Apple executives argued that the Mac was designed around keyboard and trackpad use, while touch input was better suited to the iPad. Steve Jobs also questioned the comfort of using a touchscreen laptop for extended periods.

Windows laptops, by contrast, have offered touchscreen options for more than a decade.

Adding touch to the Mac would represent a shift in Apple's long-standing approach, although the company appears to be keeping the traditional laptop experience at the centre of the design.

The launch would also come during a busy autumn for Apple, following the reported October 23 retail launch of the foldable iPhone Duo and the October 13 arrival of the HomeView hub, Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2.

A second-generation touchscreen MacBook Pro with M7 Pro and M7 Max chips has already been rumoured, although details remain limited.