Apple may finally admit it was wrong about Surface — rumors point to touchscreen MacBook Pro over a decade after Microsoft did it first

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After years of rejecting touchscreen laptops, Apple is now said to be developing a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen. Back in 2012, CEO Tim Cook famously argued against combining features just because they’re possible, stating, “You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.”

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is aiming to release a MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen as early as next fall. This laptop will run the standard macOS operating system, not the iPadOS found on iPads. This strategy is similar to what Microsoft did with its Surface devices, first with Windows 8 in 2012 and later with Windows 10 in 2015.

Windows 8 initially received a lot of criticism because it heavily emphasized touch controls. It was created with the emerging 2-in-1 laptop and touchscreen devices in mind, but that technology wasn’t widely adopted yet. Looking back, the touch features in Windows 8 were actually quite innovative – they were quick, smooth, and visually appealing.

I’ve been noticing some interesting changes in the latest version of macOS. It feels like Apple is preparing the operating system for touch input, similar to what they’ve done with other devices. Buttons and other system elements seem bigger and have more space around them, which would make them easier to use with a finger. It looks like they’re getting macOS ready for a potential touch-screen Mac in the future.

Apple’s unified design approach for its devices – iPhones, iPads, and Macs – likely plays a role in these changes. However, it’s obvious that ideas originally meant for touchscreens are now being applied to Macs. The fact that Macs can even run iPad apps makes them a strong competitor in the touchscreen laptop market.

As someone who’s been following the debate around touchscreen laptops, I’ve always been a bit puzzled by the strong opposition from some Apple fans. They often say it just doesn’t make sense for laptops, but I think that’s based on a lack of experience. Having actually used a touchscreen laptop, I find it surprisingly freeing to be able to quickly interact with things like pop-up windows or notifications directly on the screen. It’s not something you’d *always* want to do, but it’s a really convenient option to have.

Apple has long been developing devices that combine features, much like the iPad Pro, which is their take on Microsoft’s 2-in-1 computers – especially now that iPadOS is becoming more like a traditional desktop operating system. It makes sense that Apple is now thinking about adding touchscreens to MacBooks, as they’re aiming to improve the product, and Microsoft has already demonstrated the success of that approach.

Microsoft entered the touchscreen computer market in 2012 with the Surface RT and Surface Pro, which were similar to today’s tablets with attachable keyboards. However, it wasn’t until 2015 that they released their first true touchscreen laptop, the Surface Book-a fantastic device that I still miss.

As a researcher tracking laptop development, I remember being really impressed when Microsoft released the Surface Laptop in 2017 – it was their first true laptop with a touchscreen. It’s always struck me as Windows’ answer to the MacBook Air, but with some key improvements like a touchscreen, a superior display, and more versatile ports, plus a generally more refined design. Honestly, looking at the current models, the Surface Laptop 7 actually surpasses the MacBook Air M4 in several areas. But that’s getting ahead of myself – it’s good to see Apple is now heading in the right direction with their laptops.

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2025-09-19 19:39