Apple might finally make a touchscreen Mac

The project seems to be in relatively early stages, with engineers being “actively engaged,” according to the report. Gurman says that there are no final plans for launching touchscreen Macs and that plans could always change — we’ve seen Apple scrap projects before, and the company has made prototype Macs with touchscreens that never saw the light of day, according to Craig Federighi.

Gurman says the rumored MacBook Pro would include other updates but would more or less retain the same form factor as current models; you’d just be able to tap and gesture on the screen.

If this product does end up on store shelves, it would be a major reversal for the company. Apple has famously avoided adding touchscreens to its macOS devices, even as iPadOS flourished (and as it brought apps meant for touchscreens to its desktops). Steve Jobs famously criticized computers with touchscreens — as well as devices that use styluses — saying that they were “ergonomically terrible” when announcing the iPad.

Since then, though, the tech has become commonplace on many Windows laptops, and a plethora of iPad accessories have basically turned the tablet into a MacBook. I’m unaware of any reports that people’s arms have fallen off from heavy touchscreen use but have found laptops with them to be convenient in many situations. With that said, I do think macOS will probably need a heavy refresh if it’s going to be used with a touchscreen; I can’t imagine trying to hit the current traffic light window controls or navigate the menu bar with my finger.