The Mac you’ve always wanted is coming soon

Rumor has it that 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for the Mac, starting in just a few weeks with the first Apple event (or “experience”) of the year. In addition to the usual faster chips, Apple reportedly has some new tricks up its sleeve in 2026, with several new features that will have Mac users everywhere saying, “Finally!” Here are four major overdue announcements that we expect to arrive this year.

An economical MacBook

iPhone fans have long yearned for a truly affordable MacBook, priced below the $999 MacBook Air, which isn’t just an older model with a discounted price. This dream machine could finally arrive in just two weeks. On March 4, Apple will host a series of “experiments” in New York, London and Shanghai, and the star is expected to be the first-ever low-cost MacBook.

After tackling the mid-range market with the MacBook Air, Apple would like to compete with Chromebooks and Windows laptops, with a new laptop that could cost as little as $599. Apple would use an iPhone A18 Pro or A19 Pro chip, and it would likely have a smaller screen than the Air and perhaps fewer USB ports. But it will be powerful enough for everyday tasks and light work. For many users, that’s all they need.

MacBook with OLED displays

When Apple unveiled the MacBook Pro M1 Pro/M1 Max in 2021, it was the first Mac to feature the Liquid Retina XDR display, introduced in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro a few months earlier. The new mini-LED display was a huge improvement over the previous model, offering HDR extreme dynamic range, 120Hz ProMotion refresh, and up to 1,000 nits of sustained brightness at full screen. It’s a great screen, but it’s no longer the best.

Apple is expected to upgrade the MacBook Pro display again in 2026 by taking another page from the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro M4, released in 2024, introduced the Ultra Retina XDR display with tandem OLED technology to deliver high brightness, wide color support, and impressive color accuracy. Mac users have wanted it ever since, and it looks like the Ultra Retina XDR will finally ship with the M6 ​​Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro later this year.

Foundry

A touchscreen MacBook Pro

One of the most common comments I get from Windows users who want to harass me about my Mac devotion is: “When will MacBooks have touchscreens?” We might finally have an answer in 2026, when Apple is rumored to release the first-ever MacBook with a touchscreen in the fall. It’s possible this could happen in early 2027, but signs suggest Apple really wants it to happen in 2026.

This year, the 20th anniversary of the MacBook Pro will take place and Apple would like to mark the occasion by presenting the new model. Besides a touchscreen, the redesign will also bring a slimmer profile and faster M6 Pro and Max chips. We expect the laptop to retain its trackpad, but for users who have been wanting to raise their hand and place their fingers on the screen, they will finally get their wish.

Apple

MacBook with 5G

For many longtime Mac users, it’s a real headache why Apple didn’t put a modem in a MacBook, especially when the entire iPad line has one. Of course, you can still connect to an iPhone when there’s no Wi-Fi (depending on your wireless plan), but it’s not ideal if you need to move a lot of large files. And of course, you also empty your iPhone And MacBook batteries.

Last year, Apple launched its first local cellular modems, the C1 in the iPhone 16e and the C1X in the iPhone Air and iPad Pro. With the C2 in 2026, which will likely support mmWave, Apple is expected to expand the modem to more devices, starting with the MacBook Pro M6 Pro and M6 Max. With an Apple modem in a MacBook Pro, you no longer have to worry about staying connected and draining the life from your connected iPhone.