- A new report says the touchscreen MacBook Pro will get Dynamic Island
- This feature comes from the iPhone and will be found in the OLED screen
- Don’t expect Face ID as the report doesn’t mention this feature
We’ve been hearing for some time now that Apple plans to release a touchscreen MacBook Pro later this year. Now, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has boosted that idea by revealing fresh details about Apple’s plans — but one important thing is missing.
Gurman outlined what we can expect in a new report, explaining that the upcoming MacBook Pro will likely use the Dynamic Island currently found in all the top iPhones, as well as a new touch-oriented interface that adapts to your actions.
Starting with Dynamic Island, Gurman says the implementation of this feature in the MacBook Pro will differ from the version found in the iPhone 17 series. That’s because the MacBook Pro version will be “built around a hole-sized cutout for the computer’s camera,” claims Gurman, making it “smaller than the pill-shaped notch in current iPhones.” It should complement the redesigned Dynamic Island set to launch with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro expected to arrive later this year.
As for the new interface, it will apparently be integrated into an OLED screen with touchscreen capabilities. Gurman believes Apple has created a system that adapts to your input, whether it’s the traditional mouse and keyboard or a finger. If you use the latter, macOS will enlarge the controls on the screen to make them easier to tap, for example.
This interface also involves the addition of a new type of menu that surrounds the user’s finger, putting controls at their fingertips. Certain menus, such as the emoji selector, will have touch-optimized interfaces if you use touch buttons. And you’ll be able to use common gestures found in iOS, such as quick scrolling and pinching to zoom in on photos.
Where is Face ID?
The influence of iOS on both the rumored Dynamic Island and the touch interface is clear to see. That would reflect a growing crossover between iOS and macOS, which has seen Apple introduce universal apps and tools like iPhone Mirroring and Universal Control in recent years.
One key feature that doesn’t appear to be making the jump to the Mac, however, is Face ID, despite being a vital part of the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. Gurman’s report doesn’t mention Face ID, and it looks like Mac users will have to stick with Touch ID for now — especially given that Gurman previously claimed that Face ID on the Mac is “years away” from being realized.
That said, Apple has released several patents over the years regarding the process of incorporating facial recognition into a Mac, so it seems the company is at least considering adding it to its laptops. But for now, it looks like Face ID is a feature that will remain absent from the MacBook Pro.
Apple is expected to release the touchscreen MacBook Pro in late 2026. Before that happens, a new version of the laptop – with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, but without the dynamic island and touchscreen – is planned for this spring, or sometime between March and May.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
