Touchscreen has always been missing from Macs, while Apple’s competition has introduced rivaling products with this technology for years. One reason why the Cupertino giant has been hesitant to bring this feature to any Mac so far is it will likely harm iPad tablet sales.
If you have noticed, the company reports that its tablet shipments continue to decline every quarter. While this division keeps chugging along, bringing in billions in revenue, Apple probably wants to keep the ball rolling long-term. However, the latest report states that touchscreen support will debut on Macs in a few years, and that can change the future of the iPad forever.
OLED technology can first debut on Apple’s Macs first, followed by touchscreen support
While Apple does have plans to add touchscreen capabilities to its Macs, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman points out in the latest edition of his ‘Power On’ newsletter that this upgrade will take a few years to arrive. Instead, the company’s main goal is to bring more differentiation to various product categories, including the iPad and Mac.
“Apple does plan to add OLED and touch-screen support to Macs in the next few years. But it seems more committed to distinguishing its tablets and computers from one another than serving customers who want something more.”
Apple is not shy away from completely burying its products, especially when a more capable device ends up outshining it. This happened when the California-based firm discontinued its touchscreen iPod in 2022, and it has happened with others too. Gurman has reported that the Apple Vision Pro can replace the iPad, but that is only if it becomes a mainstream product, which can only happen if that ludicrous price comes down.
However, if touchscreen technology debuts on Macs, Apple will have to tweak macOS to adopt the new interface, along with keyboard and mouse support. The same feature on Windows can become a ‘less than stellar’ experience, as we have witnessed the operating system often glitching when changing the laptop’s orientation. In short, Apple may bring touchscreen capability to its Macs when it feels that the iPad is no longer adding any financial uplift to its quarterly earnings, but that might take a while.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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