- New report says touchscreen MacBook Pro will get Dynamic Island
- This feature comes from the iPhone and will be found on the OLED screen
- Don’t expect Face ID, as the report does not mention this feature
We’ve been hearing for some time that Apple plans to release a touchscreen MacBook Pro later this year. Now, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has pushed that idea by revealing new details about Apple’s plans, but one key thing is missing.
Gurman outlined what we can expect in a new report, in which he explained that the next MacBook Pro will likely use the Dynamic Island currently found in the best iPhones, as well as a new touch interface that adapts to your actions.
Starting with Dynamic Island, Gurman says the implementation of this feature on the MacBook Pro will be different from the version found on the iPhone 17 series. This is because the MacBook Pro version will be “built around a hole-punch-sized cutout for the computer camera,” Gurman maintains, making it “smaller than the pill-shaped notch on current iPhones.” That should complement the redesigned Dynamic Island that will launch with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro arriving later this year.
As for the new interface, it will apparently be integrated into an OLED display with touchscreen capability. Gurman believes Apple has created a system that adapts to what you input, whether it’s the traditional mouse and keyboard or a finger. If you use the latter, macOS will enlarge on-screen controls to make them easier to touch, for example.
This interface also involves the addition of a new type of menu that surrounds the user’s finger, putting controls within easy reach. Certain menus, such as the emoji picker, will have touch-optimized interfaces if you use touch controls. And you’ll be able to use common gestures found in iOS, like flicking and pinching to zoom in on photos.
Where is Face ID?
The influence of iOS on both the rumored Dynamic Island and the touch interface is clear to see. It would reflect a growing crossover between iOS and macOS, with Apple introducing universal apps and tools like iPhone Mirroring and Universal Control in recent years.
However, one key feature that apparently won’t make the jump to the Mac is Face ID, despite being a vital part of the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. Gurman’s report doesn’t mention Face ID, and it looks like Mac users will have to stick with Touch ID for the time being, especially considering Gurman previously claimed that Face ID on the Mac is “years” away.
That said, Apple has published numerous patents over the years on the process of incorporating facial recognition into a Mac, so it seems like the company is at least considering adding it to its laptops. But for now, it looks like Face ID is a feature that will remain absent on the MacBook Pro.
Apple is expected to launch the touchscreen MacBook Pro in late 2026. Before that happens, a new version of the laptop, with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips but without Dynamic Island and a touchscreen, is scheduled for this spring, or sometime between March and May.
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