Source: Apple has discussed charging $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an OLED XDR touch screen and M5 Pro chip, $400 more than the current M5 Pro model (Mark Gurman/Bloomberg)

On October 26, Apple's plans for a touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro remain unclear. The device, which would sit above the current 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, could feature an OLED display, Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max silicon, and a Dynamic Island in place of the notch. However, the primary innovation - a touchscreen - is the most puzzling aspect.

Craig Federighi, Apple's head of software engineering, previously argued against touchscreen laptops, stating that using a Mac requires the hands to rest on a surface, and using a finger to poke a screen is fatiguing. Despite this stance, Apple has reportedly been working on integrating touch capabilities into its Mac lineup.

While the OLED display promises deep contrast, vibrant colors, and fast response times, the current mini-LED MacBook Pros already offer stunning displays. The notch's removal for a Dynamic Island is a potential improvement, but it's uncertain whether enough users would trade their current laptops for this change. Furthermore, the addition of the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips as the current model won't necessarily make the new MacBook Pro faster or more compelling.

For Apple to justify a new OLED MacBook Pro, it would need to introduce a knockout feature that hasn't leaked yet or present a compelling story behind the existing features. As of now, the motivation behind this potentially expensive upgrade remains a mystery.