Apple executives explain reversal on MacBook Pro touchscreen
In a WIRED interview, Apple's John Ternus, Johny Srouji and Greg Joswiak discussed the company's decision to add touch input to the newly announced 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED XDR displays. Ternus said touch is meant to supplement, not replace, the trackpad and keyboard, while Srouji said advances in custom silicon and thermal design allowed Apple to add touch without making the laptop heavier or thicker.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The remarks mark a public reversal of Apple's long-held position, voiced for years by executives like Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller, that touchscreens didn't belong on the Mac. Ternus's framing suggests Apple wants to present the change as an engineering achievement rather than a concession, which could shape how the feature is marketed and received by longtime Mac users skeptical of touch.
- Apple confirmed new MacBook Pro models with OLED XDR displays now include touch input.
- Executives frame touch as an addition that required years of hardware advances, not a compromise.
- The move publicly reverses Apple's previous stance against touchscreen Macs.
Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 — This is the very model at the center of Apple's new touchscreen discussion, featuring the stunning PRO-LED XDR display mentioned in the article. It's a great way to experience Apple's latest hardware and input innovations firsthand.
See Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: 9to5mac.com — Marcus Mendes, 2026-10-28
Published there as: “Ternus addresses Apple breaking touchscreen Mac taboo: ‘Who knew?’”
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