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MacBook Air adding touchscreen isn’t yet planned, says report

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Why This Matters

The potential addition of touchscreen support to the MacBook Air remains uncertain, reflecting Apple's cautious approach to integrating touch into its Mac lineup. This decision could significantly influence user interaction and the future design of Mac devices, especially if the new MacBook Pro with touch support is well received. Consumers and developers alike should watch for Apple's evolving strategy on touch interfaces in Macs.

Key Takeaways

Later this year, the M6 MacBook Pro is widely rumored to be the first Mac that supports touch. But a new report indicates touchscreens may not be in Apple’s plans for the MacBook Air or MacBook Neo.

Apple ‘hasn’t decided’ whether to expand touch beyond MacBook Pro, per Gurman

macOS 27 is expected to introduce touchscreen optimizations ahead of this fall’s MacBook Pro adding a touchscreen.

But according to Bloomberg, there’s no guarantee of touch support coming to other Macs in the future.

Mark Gurman writes at Bloomberg:

At this point, Apple hasn’t decided whether to bring touch to any Macs beyond the MacBook Pro (a model that’s slated to arrive as early as at the end of this year).

Gurman mentions that the MacBook Air is slated to get OLED around 2028 or even later. So if it does get touch support, that’s likely the soonest it will happen.

As for the MacBook Neo, Ming Chi-Kuo once predicted that the Neo’s successor would add touch support. Last week, however, he reversed course. Gurman adds: “I highly doubt touch is being considered for Apple’s lowest-tier Mac.”

9to5Mac’s Take

If Apple truly hasn’t yet decided on the future of touch support across the Mac line, it’s likely for one simple reason: it wants to gauge reception to the M6 MacBook Pro.

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