How Accurate Were Rumors About Apple's OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro?
Rumors about Apple's work on a touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro started in 2023, when Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman said there would be a MacBook Pro with an ‌OLED‌ display and a touchscreen, but ‌OLED‌ rumors date back even further. We heard a lot about the new Mac over the last few years, and we thought we'd take a look back to see what was right and what was wrong. OLED 2016 - In…
Rumors about Apple creating a MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen began in 2023, though OLED rumors had surfaced earlier. Over the years, several predictions were made about the device's features. In 2016, ETNews reported Apple was considering OLED displays for future MacBooks. In 2019, Elec said Apple was in talks with Samsung about OLED displays for a future 16-inch MacBook Pro.
In 2021, Elec again mentioned a future MacBook with an OLED display using a two-stack tandem structure, which Apple later confirmed. A 2023 ETNews report claimed Apple was sourcing OLED panels for 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro sizes, which proved accurate. However, Kuo's prediction that an OLED MacBook Pro would launch by the end of 2024 proved incorrect.
Touch functionality was reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in January 2023, stating Apple was working on an OLED MacBook Pro with a touchscreen. Kuo later confirmed in September 2025 that the OLED MacBook Pro would feature touch sensors integrated into the display panel's top layer. However, Omdia initially predicted a notch would be removed in a few years, but the actual design included a hole-punch camera.
In August 2025, Omdia suggested an OLED MacBook Pro would feature a Dynamic Island cutout, similar to the iPhone. Gurman described the Dynamic Island as interactive and contextually expandable in February 2026.
The MacBook Pro was predicted to have a thinner design, which was accurate, and a reinforced hinge to prevent display movement when touched. The design was expected to be thinner, but Gurman later tempered expectations, stating it wouldn't be significantly thinner. The MacBook Pro was also expected to be lighter, which materialized in October 2026.
Apple was rumored to use M6-series chips, later corrected to M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Pricing was accurate, with models priced above mini-LED MacBook Pro models at $2,899 and $3,399. The "MacBook Ultra" naming was suggested but never confirmed. Launch timing was uncertain, with Gurman initially predicting 2025, later adjusting to 2026, and finally settling on late 2026 or early 2027.
Some features, like an illuminated Apple logo, up to 16TB storage, and revamped speakers, were never rumored and came as surprises.
Written by urgent.news from MacRumors's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
