According to people familiar with the matter, Apple's long-awaited touch-screen laptop will bring major innovations to the Mac system interface, including porting the Smart Island function on the iPhone. Apple's first touch-screen Mac computers are scheduled to be launched this fall, and the Smart Island will be located at the top center of the screen, people familiar with the matter said.
Apple is upgrading its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with new touchscreen features and the same OLED screen technology as the iPhone.
Smart Island is an area on the screen that integrates cameras and displays software interaction interfaces. It will debut on iPhone in 2022. Users can use it to conveniently view notifications, game scores and media control interfaces, and can also be adapted to third-party applications, such as checking the progress of takeout orders.
Apple plans to release a number of products, including new Mac products, in the first week of March, but the touchscreen version of the MacBook Pro will not appear at this release. The models are internally codenamed K114 and K116 and are expected to be available in late 2026.
Even with the new screen, Apple won't position the MacBook Pro as an iPad replacement, nor will it describe its interface as touchscreen-centric. On the contrary, the design idea is to allow users to choose to use the touch screen as needed, while being compatible with the familiar tap control method.
To this end, the new MacBook Pro looks similar to the current model, with a full-size keyboard and a large trackpad. However, according to people familiar with the matter, the new phone will be equipped with a redesigned dynamic user interface that can intelligently switch between touch screen optimization and tap optimization.
For example, when a user touches a button or control, the interface brings up a new menu around the finger, providing options more suitable for touch screen operation. The design goal is to automatically present the most reasonable control method based on whether the user touches or taps.
The system will also display the most suitable control combination based on the user's previous operating habits. If the user clicks on an item in the menu bar at the top of the screen, the control automatically enlarges to make it easier for fingers to select.
Commonly used functions such as the emoji selection menu will also optimize the touch screen experience, but will not focus on touch screen input like the iPad.
The screen of MacBook Pro will support the same basic touch screen functions as iPhone and iPad, including fast scrolling, zooming of pictures and PDF documents, etc.
The “liquid glass” design Apple launched in macOS Tahoe last year was in preparation for the launch of touch-screen Macs this year. This update increases the distance between some icons and notifications, and the slider in the control center has also been optimized for touch screens.
The Mac version of Smart Island will be designed around a punch-hole opening for the camera, which is smaller than the pill-shaped notch of the current iPhone. Apple also plans to use a new, smaller Smart Island design on this year’s iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.
The launch of the touchscreen Mac represents a major shift for Apple. The company has been dismissive of touch-screen laptops for decades, with co-founder Steve Jobs once calling the experience "extremely ergonomic."
In 2021, Apple hardware chief John Ternus told the media that Apple has created "the best touch-screen computer" with the iPad and that the company has "really no reason to change this status quo."
But the industry landscape has changed, and touch screens have become standard on many Windows laptops. At the same time, Apple has further unified applications across platforms, making it easier to port touch screen functions to Mac. In addition, Apple also needs to attract Mac users with new features, not just faster chips.
Bloomberg first reported on this redesign plan as early as 2023. In previous months, when asked whether Apple would change its stance, software chief Craig Federighi quipped: "Who knows?"