Apple’s next Macs finally tick every box

Rumor has it that 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for the Mac, starting in a few weeks with Apple’s first event (or “experience”) of the year. In addition to the usual faster chips, Apple reportedly has new tricks up its sleeve in 2026 with several new features that will have Mac users everywhere saying, “Finally! Here are four major delayed announcements we expect to arrive this year.”

On a MacBook budget

iPhone fans have long wanted a truly affordable sub-$999 MacBook Air that isn’t just an older model with a low price tag. This dream machine can finally arrive in just two short weeks. On March 4, Apple will hold a series of “experiences” in New York, London and Shanghai, and the first-ever low-cost MacBook is expected to be the star.

After tackling the MacBook Air in the mid-range market, Apple is reportedly looking to compete with Chromebooks and Windows laptops with a new laptop that could be as cheap as $599. Apple will reportedly use the A18 Pro or A19 Pro iPhone chip, and it will likely have a smaller screen than the Air and possibly fewer USB ports. But it will be powerful enough for everyday tasks and light work. For many users, this is all that is needed.

MacBooks with OLED displays

When Apple introduced the M1 Pro/M1 Max MacBook Pro in 2021, it was the first Mac to get the Liquid Retina XDR display that was introduced in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro a few months earlier. The new mini-LED display was a huge improvement over the previous model, bringing HDR extreme dynamic range, 120Hz ProMotion refresh and up to 1,000 nits of continuous full-screen brightness. it’s an excellent display, but it’s not the best.

Apple is expected to upgrade the MacBook Pro display again in 2026 by removing another page from the iPad Pro. The M4 iPad Pro, released in 2024, introduced an Ultra Retina XDR display with tandem OLED technology that provides high brightness, wide color support and impressive color accuracy. Mac users have been wanting it ever since, and it looks like Ultra Retina XDR will finally arrive with the M6 ​​Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro later this year.

Touch MacBook Pro

One of the most common messages I get from Windows users who want to show me my Mac devotion is: “When will MacBooks have touchscreens? We may finally have an answer in 2026, when Apple is rumored to launch the first-ever touchscreen MacBook in the fall. There’s a chance it could slip into early 2027, but the signs are that Apple really wants to make it happen in 2026.

The MacBook Pro will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, and Apple is reportedly looking to mark the occasion by introducing a new model. Along with the touchscreen, the redesign will also bring a thinner profile and faster M6 Pro and Max chips. We expect the laptop to retain its trackpad, but for users who wanted to reach up and put their fingers on the screen, it will finally come true.

Apple

MacBooks with 5G

For many long-time Mac users, why Apple didn’t include a modem in the MacBook is a problem, especially since the entire iPad lineup has one. Of course, you can always connect to your iPhone when there’s no Wi-Fi nearby (depending on your wireless plan), but it’s not ideal if you need to move a lot of files. And of course, you’re also draining your iPhone and Battery for MacBook.

Last year, Apple released its first home cellular modems, the C1 in the iPhone 16e and the C1X in the iPhone Air and iPad Pro. With the C2 in 2026 likely to support mmWave, Apple is expected to expand the modem to more devices, starting with the M6 ​​Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro. With the Apple modem in your MacBook Pro, you can stop worrying about staying connected and draining the life out of your tethered iPhone.