Apple rarely makes a sudden jump with its products and instead it tests new ideas on one device, refines them, and then brings them to another when the time is right. With iPadOS 26, this is exactly what is happening, as the update is more than a simple refresh, but a testing ground for a MacBook with a touchscreen.
Apple’s iPadOS 26 update hints at a future where macOS borrows from iPadOS, paving the way for a touchscreen MacBook
In the past, Apple publicly dismissed the idea of a touchscreen Mac, with executives like Steve Jobs and Craig Federighi arguing that touch input on a laptop display feels uncomfortable and unnecessary. Instead, the company worked for years to position the iPad as a computer, and it is truly a computer now, with the iPadOS 26 update onboard. The Mac, on the flip side, focused on power and precision with a keyboard and trackpad. While there was a clear divide between the two products, iPadOS has now evolved, and users demand more flexibility.
iPadOS Features That Point to the Future
The new features in iPadOS 26 make the iPad behave more like a computer than ever before, with smoother window resizing, easier multitasking, and drag-and-drop that feels faster and more natural, something that Apple should have introduced years ago, but we're still glad that it's here. While these are great features to have on the iPad, they are also experiments that show Apple how people handle desktop-style tasks on a touchscreen. Specifically, the information is quite essential if the company plans to bring a touchscreen to the Mac.
One of the strongest hints lies in the way iPadOS 26 handles its user interface elements. This is because the latest update gave immense attention to the buttons, menus, and window layouts, which have been designed to better respond to both finger taps and precise trackpad clicks, similar to what we get on the Mac. The balance shows that Apple is preparing software that can scale naturally between tablet and laptop form factors, making a future touchscreen MacBook feel like an evolution of what users already know. Basically, the company just eradicated the learning curve by providing the same controls and UI layout.
Training Users for a Touch Mac
Apple is shaping user behavior silently by refining gestures, streamlining how files move between apps, and making multitasking smoother so that these improvements naturally become second nature. Ultimately, when customers get used to the new interface with touch-friendly controls, it makes it easier to imagine using the same controls on a MacBook rather than an iPad. With that said, Apple could bring macOS closer to iPadOS, in contrast to what users have been demanding over the years with bigger, more pronounced buttons. What this means is that a touchscreen MacBook would feel like an extension of controls and a familiar interface that users already know.
Demand Is Already There
Consumer behavior is also pushing Apple in the same direction, and the company is complying. Potentially, this is the reason why the company’s new interface is available on all models of the iPad, even the iPad mini 7 and the entry-level iPad. For creators and professionals, as well as students, the iPad already fulfills the role of a full-fledged computer, as they got what they hoped for - a better file management system, desktop-like controls, and enhanced multitasking capabilities. With a touchscreen MacBook, the company is setting the stage for all of these features that deliver power and touch interaction on a single device.
Hardware and Timing Are Lining Up
Apart from this, hardware is no longer holding the decision back either, as the new OLED displays are more responsive and energy-efficient, which are slated to arrive by late 2026 or early 2027 for the MacBook Pro. Moreover, Apple’s chips can now better balance performance and battery life than ever before, which could allow the devices to be thinner than they are right now, as they would not need a thermal solution as demanding as the current models.
Lastly, the competition from Windows has offered touchscreens for years on laptops, and while Apple does not chase rivals, it does decide on its own when the time is right to step in. The core example of this is the ProMotion display on the base $799 iPhone 17. With iPadOS 26, Apple has shown that it now has the software foundation in the right place, which could bolster the move.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
