M6 MacBook Pro Could Bring OLED Touch and Face ID Features That MacBooks Have Never Had

For years, the MacBook Pro has set the standard for powerful, portable computing. But what if the next iteration didn't just boost performance but fundamentally changed how we interact with the machine?

Rumours are swirling that the M6 MacBook Pro could introduce two features long sought after by Apple enthusiasts, potentially delivering an OLED touch display and Face ID — innovations that would mark a significant shift for the MacBook line.

Apple is reportedly preparing for one of the most substantial revisions to the MacBook Pro range in years, finally appearing ready to implement a long-resisted feature. According to a recent report from Bloomberg, the technology giant is developing a touch-enabled MacBook Pro, which could launch as early as late 2026, coinciding with the debut of its new M6 processors.

Should this plan come to fruition, it would be the first occasion on which Apple releases a laptop featuring a complete touch display, marking a substantial departure from its long-held view that touch interaction was more appropriate for the iPad than for the Mac.

The forthcoming models, known internally as K114 and K116, are rumoured to feature slimmer, lighter chassis designs and will introduce several highly anticipated capabilities. The main new addition is an OLED screen, the same cutting-edge display technology utilised in the iPhone and iPad Pro.

This introduction marks the first time Apple adopts OLED technology in a Mac, allowing for more vivid colours, richer black tones, and noticeably thinner profiles than the mini-LED panels currently in use.

Revisiting Apple's Historical Position

For a long time, Apple management, which included the late Steve Jobs and current Chief Executive Tim Cook, publicly rejected the concept of touch-screen Macs. Jobs famously claimed in 2010 that interacting with vertical displays was awkward, and Cook once joked that fusing a tablet with a laptop would be comparable to putting a 'toaster and a fridge' together.

Instead, Apple chose to try out the Touch Bar in 2016, a narrow, touch-sensitive panel located above the keyboard, but it was ultimately removed because it wasn't well-received. However, with PC producers like Dell, Lenovo, Acer, and Microsoft achieving positive results from laptops that support both conventional and touch controls, Apple has reconsidered its approach.

Industry analysts suggest that slower iPad sales and the increasing integration of apps between macOS and iPadOS may have further encouraged the company to adopt touch input on its high-end devices.

Upcoming Design Modifications

The report suggests that Apple will also discontinue the notch at the screen's top, replacing it with a single hole-punch camera design that is similar to the Dynamic Island on the iPhone.

Furthermore, the new MacBook Pro machines are anticipated to include sturdier hinges to prevent the display from moving when touched, which is a frequent complaint with touch-enabled laptops. Although it may not arrive until a subsequent generation, Face ID authentication is also thought to be part of the product's long-term development.

Even with the introduction of new features, Apple intends to keep the keyboard and trackpad. The company, like its competitors, will maintain the availability of traditional input methods, ensuring customers can choose between classic controls and new touch capabilities.

Probable Premium Market Placement

Apple's touch-enabled MacBook Pro will likely be offered in 14-inch and 16-inch versions, but consumers should anticipate a higher cost.

Due to the inclusion of OLED screens and other high-end components, industry experts forecast that prices may rise by several hundred dollars over the existing models, which currently have starting prices of $1,999 (£1,488.87) for the 14-inch model and $2,499 (£1,861.27) for the larger variant.

While the basic 14-inch MacBook Pro recently got a performance upgrade with Apple's new M5 chip, its overall physical design has remained unchanged since 2021. The more advanced models, equipped with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, are slated for release in early 2026 but are expected to retain their established look until Apple introduces the M6 generation.

Currently, Apple is said to have no immediate intentions of extending touch capability to its other Mac lines. The company will instead assess customer reaction to the MacBook Pro before deciding whether to introduce the feature to the MacBook Air or its remaining models.

This calculated release strategy aligns with Apple's typical procedure of first deploying new technologies on its most premium devices before making them available to the rest of the product range.

The financial commitment is significant. Although the $999 (£744.06) MacBook Air remains Apple's top-selling laptop, a touch-screen MacBook Pro has the potential to convince existing customers to trade up or even draw in longtime Windows users to the Apple platform.

In parallel, Apple is also developing updated MacBook Airs equipped with M5 chips, along with a new Mac Studio, Mac mini, and a pair of external monitors.