Apple Inc.’s first-ever touch-screen laptop will rely on the company’s current high-end M5 chips, rather than next-generation silicon, though the company is working on a follow-up model with future M7 processors.
The MacBook models, positioned at the top of Apple’s lineup, will arrive between late this year and early next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. They’re planned to be powered by the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.
It’s a big moment for Apple. The company had resisted the idea of a touch-screen Mac for years, with co-founder Steve Jobs famously saying that the approach didn’t make sense. But the rest of the industry has embraced the concept, and offering touch computers should help Apple bolster Mac sales.
The first touch-screen 14-inch and 16-inch models, code-named K114 and K116, will represent the biggest overhaul of Apple’s high-end laptops since the company began moving away from Intel Corp. chips in 2020. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the company’s plans.
Read More: Apple to Skip High-End M6 Mac Chips in Favor of AI-Focused M7 Line
Apple’s decision to use the M5 line before jumping to a future M7 is part of a broader shift in its chip strategy. The company is skipping M6-generation Pro and Max chips altogether, breaking from its usual approach. Bloomberg News reported on this strategy earlier this week.
In addition to adding touch displays, the new laptops will use the iPhone’s Dynamic Island interface and organic light-emitting diode displays. All three additions will be firsts for a Mac. Windows PCs have offered touch and OLED for several years in premium models.
Read More: Apple’s Touch-Screen MacBook Pro to Have Dynamic Island, New Interface
The devices will also sport an updated industrial design, marking the first visual change to high-end MacBooks since 2021.
The new machines are likely to be pricey given their upgrades and the price increases that Apple already rolled out Thursday. The current 14-inch MacBook Pro now costs $1,999, while the 16-inch model now starts at $2,999. A MacBook Pro with the top memory, processor and storage options now costs $9,999.
Apple is already conducting advanced testing of the follow-up models with M7 Pro and M7 Max chips, according to the people. Those laptop models are planned for as early as the end of 2027. Apple is also planning a Mac Studio refresh with M7 Max and M7 Ultra chips in 2028.
The M7 Pro, M7 Max and M7 Ultra chips — part of a family code-named Andros — are being developed to support more demanding AI workloads. They will include vastly upgraded neural accelerators, graphics improvements and expanded memory bandwidth that helps accelerate AI model processing.
The Macs will be part of a large wave of Apple product updates under incoming Chief Executive Officer John Ternus. That includes foldable iPhones, wearable products for AI and new smart home devices.