- We just received a new info dump about Apple’s upcoming Macs
- It includes the claim that the MacBook OLED may be on track to debut later this year and is now being tested with macOS 27.1.
- The laptop will have the M5 Pro and Max chips, and a follow-up could arrive in late 2027 with the M7 Pro and Max.
Apple plans to release a slew of new Macs in the coming years, and if you were wondering about the OLED MacBook, this laptop is apparently still on track for a possible launch later this year.
Mark Gurman revealed a wealth of information and updates in a Bloomberg report detailing Apple’s upcoming Mac reviews and where things stand right now (as always, sprinkle seasoning liberally).
The model a lot of people are interested in is the MacBook OLED, which will be a high-end effort in 14- and 16-inch sizes, featuring a touchscreen for the first time (not everyone is as interested in the latter, of course). They will package the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, not the M6.
Gurman says that Apple is currently testing this MacBook with macOS 27.1, and that the device “remains on track to be released between the end of this year and early next year.” The leaker had previously stated that we are looking at a launch in late 2026 or early 2027 (although there is a nuance here that I will return to shortly).
What about M6 MacBooks? Apparently this year we’ll get an update to the lower-end 14-inch MacBook Pro that includes the M6, and this will be the first release to use the next-generation silicon. There will also be new iMacs with the M6, all of which will supposedly arrive this fall (probably around October 2026, in other words, a month or so).
The MacBook Air isn’t ignored, of course, and Gurman informs us that an update to this consumer line will be released in early 2027, with 13- and 15-inch models that “look very similar to the current version,” so don’t expect many changes.
Another MacBook Pro release, he says, is planned for 2027 in the form of an entry-level 14-inch laptop with a new design that will be similar to the high-end OLED models, but will get a major upgrade with the M7 (vanilla) chip.
Unsurprisingly, it adds that an update to the popular MacBook Neo is underway, upgrading to an A19 Pro chip and offering more memory (new colors will also be added).
Further ahead for MacBooks, there could be a more radical change for the MacBook Air, with an OLED version of the laptop Gurman says could arrive in 2028, while a follow-up to the high-end OLED MacBook should debut between late 2027 and early 2028, with an upgrade from the M5 Pro and Max to the M7 Pro and Max.
Apple is also working on an iMac with OLED, Gurman believes, and we’ve heard about it before. (It should be noted that much of this rumor is confirmation of previous speculation, with updates on timelines.)
Naturally, there will be updates in the area of Mac mini and Mac Studio. We’re told the Mac mini is in testing with the M5 Pro and M6 processors, and it looks like the Mac Studio will run with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. These are more complicated launches for Apple given the RAM crisis and the need for more powerful memory configurations causing additional hurdles for these particular Macs. Because of this, the launch times for these supposed products are still up in the air.
Analysis: On track, but out of touch?
There’s clearly a lot in the works, but the most interesting update here is that the high-end OLED MacBook is apparently still on target, and we could see it later this year, potentially in just a few months. Remember that not long ago, Gurman seemed hesitant about the idea of this touchscreen MacBook arriving in 2026, but it seems like this is still in the cards (although it’s not guaranteed, by any means).
Notably, this device is still missing a name, and the leaker is not referring to it as a MacBook Ultra, as the broader rumor has been doing. That it includes the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips makes sense, because there will only be one base version of the M6, based on what Gurman has heard before: Apple is apparently quickly skipping that generation to get to the M7 and the more powerful AI capabilities it contains. The follow-up to the high-end OLED MacBook will carry the Pro and Max chips from the M7 family, as noted.
In this report, Gurman frames all of these revamped Macs as Apple looking to “capitalize on demand for powerful laptops and desktops driven by the rise of artificial intelligence,” underscoring the leaker’s recent emphasis on the importance AI now has for Tim Cook’s company.
Unsurprisingly, this notion hasn’t gone down well with some Mac fans, and the idea of a touchscreen on a MacBook (with that OLED model incoming) also remains controversial, according to social media comments.
One Redditor puts it in particularly strong terms: “Touchscreen laptops are disgusting. I can’t imagine anyone would actually use them. The ergonomics don’t make sense, the fingerprint factor is horrible, the OS isn’t designed for touch like tablets or phones are. Why are companies actively pursuing this technology in 2026?”
Another says: “Apple is entering ‘the Touch Bar phase’ again. Dark days are ahead. I’ll wait until they inevitably backtrack on any changes they make.”
So while people love the idea of an OLED, the fact that it’s touch is certainly dampening enthusiasm in some quarters, not forgetting that it will increase the price, which is one of the other big fears about this laptop.
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