{"id":66708,"date":"2026-06-26T19:32:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T17:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apfelpatient.de\/?p=66708"},"modified":"2026-06-26T19:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T17:32:14","slug":"macbook-ultra-all-rumors-at-a-glance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apfelpatient.de\/en\/allgemein\/macbook-ultra-alle-geruechte-im-ueberblick","title":{"rendered":"MacBook Ultra: All the rumors at a glance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple is apparently planning a completely new MacBook class above the MacBook Pro. The so-called MacBook Ultra is expected to be the first MacBook with an OLED display and touchscreen \u2013 a device unlike any other. Estimates for the likely market launch now vary \u2013 ranging from as early as fall 2026 to early 2027.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MacBook Pro was last updated<\/a> in March 2026 with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Externally, little has changed since the 2021 redesign. However, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple is simultaneously working on a completely new laptop that is not intended to replace the MacBook Pro, but rather to surpass it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gurman calls the device \"MacBook Ultra\" - a name that would fit with the existing Ultra branding of Apple Watch Ultra, CarPlay Ultra, and the M Ultra chips. Whether Apple will actually choose this name is not yet confirmed. Gurman himself<\/a> acknowledges that Apple \"could retain the traditional MacBook Pro name,\" but considers the Ultra name more likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing is certain: this MacBook will be fundamentally different from all previous Macs. We've already categorized the existing MacBook models in our comparisons MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro 2026<\/a> and MacBook Pro M5: 14 vs. 16 inch<\/a>. The MacBook Ultra would be a completely new category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Facts at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Detail<\/th>Expectation<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Product<\/td>New top-tier MacBook above the MacBook Pro<\/td><\/tr>
Name<\/td>\"MacBook Ultra\" (not confirmed)<\/td><\/tr>
Display<\/td>OLED (tandem), first time touchscreen<\/td><\/tr>
Chip<\/td>M5 Pro and M5 Max (instead of the previously expected M6 generation)<\/td><\/tr>
Design<\/td>Thinner, lighter, Dynamic Island instead of Notch<\/td><\/tr>
5G<\/td>Possible via Apple C2 modem<\/td><\/tr>
Release<\/td>Autumn 2026 or early 2027 (forecasts differ)<\/td><\/tr>
Price<\/td>Significantly more expensive than the current MacBook Pro, estimated to start at \u20ac3,000.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Positioning: Four MacBook lines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the MacBook Ultra, Apple would be offering four MacBook tiers for the first time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Model<\/th>Starting price<\/th>Target group<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
MacBook Neo<\/td>699 \u20ac<\/td>Beginners, students<\/td><\/tr>
MacBook Air<\/td>from \u20ac1,199<\/td>everyday life, mobile users<\/td><\/tr>
MacBook Pro<\/td>from \u20ac1,899<\/td>Professionals, creatives<\/td><\/tr>
MacBook Ultra<\/strong><\/td>from ~3,000+ \u20ac<\/strong><\/td>High-end professionals, creatives<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max will remain available for purchase. The Ultra does not replace it, but rather complements it \u2013 similar to how the Apple Watch Ultra exists alongside the Series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gurman speculates that Apple might deliberately introduce the OLED model as a new high-end variant. Such a strategy would have two advantages: It would spread demand across two price segments, thus easing the tight supply of components. At the same time, Apple could achieve higher margins without raising the entry-level price of the MacBook Pro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Display: OLED and touchscreen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First OLED in a MacBook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The MacBook Ultra is expected to use a tandem OLED display<\/strong> \u2013 the same technology Apple introduced in the iPad Pro in 2024. Two superimposed OLED layers provide extreme brightness, deep blacks, and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. Samsung Display is expected to be the exclusive panel supplier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current MacBook Pros use Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR). Switching to OLED offers better color accuracy, a thinner design, and higher energy efficiency \u2013 at the cost of a higher price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samsung Display has now perfected its manufacturing process to such an extent that yields are consistently above 90 percent<\/a> \u2013 individual process steps even reach 95 percent. In the industry, this is considered the "golden yield" and marks the threshold at which economically viable mass production becomes possible. Panel deliveries to Apple are scheduled to begin in mid-2026 \u2013 according to the latest industry report, starting in July; around two million panels are planned for this year, distributed across 14- and 16-inch variants. According to the same report, the panels could also be slightly larger than previously assumed \u2013 14.3 and 16.3 inches are mentioned, presumably due to narrower bezels. Samsung Display is currently operating one of two Gen 8.6 lines; the second could be activated if needed, doubling capacity. This gives Apple a flexible scaling path should OLED demand pick up faster than expected. Remarkably, any potential later market launch would therefore not be due to the displays \u2013 the display side is ready for production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First touchscreen in a Mac<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The MacBook Ultra would be the first Mac with touchscreen support. Apple has insisted for years that touchscreens don't belong on laptops \u2013 this stance has changed. Reports indicate that Apple is working on a reinforced hinge design to minimize screen wobble when typing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The extent to which touch functionality is now considered certain is demonstrated by an unusually clear statement from the supply chain: Leaker Instant Digital, known for his accurate predictions, declared on Weibo that the MacBook display supports touch input \"100 percent confirmed.\" Such an absolute statement is rare even for leakers and is likely based on concrete evidence from the manufacturing process. While official confirmation from Cupertino is still pending, the indications of a touch-enabled Mac<\/a> are mounting. This assessment is further supported by reports that Samsung is close to manufacturing the touch-sensitive display panels \u2013 when a supplier starts panel production, development is usually well advanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

macOS 27 is expected to bring system-wide touch support: When you touch an element on the screen, macOS will dynamically adapt and display larger, touch-optimized controls. Pinch-to-zoom and faster scrolling will also be supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The notch disappears: It is replaced by a Dynamic Island<\/strong>, as known from the iPhone. This creates more display area and enables context-sensitive ads directly on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three tracks in macOS 27<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Beyond general touch support, macOS 27 \"Golden Gate\" includes several smaller features that can be interpreted as preparation for new hardware. First, Sidecar - the feature that uses an iPad as a second Mac display - now allows direct touch input: macOS elements can be tapped and interacted with using a finger. Second, the pull-to-refresh gesture familiar from the iPhone is coming to the Mac; a swipe refreshes content in apps like Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar - on a touchscreen, the same gesture would be a natural fit. Third, the new \"Search or Ask\" feature in Spotlight, powered by the revamped Siri, appears as a dark, pill-shaped surface that would be fitting for a display with Dynamic Island. Individually, these are minor details, but taken together, the three points in the same direction<\/a>. macOS 27 is currently available as a developer beta, with a public beta following in July and the final version expected in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chip: surprisingly M5 Pro and M5 Max<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There has recently been a surprising turn of events regarding the chip. For a long time, the OLED MacBook was considered the device that would usher in Apple's next generation of chips \u2013 with an M6 Pro or M6 Max. A recent report by Mark Gurman reverses this expectation<\/a>: The top-of-the-line model is said to be released with the already known M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason lies in a change to Apple's Mac roadmap. According to this plan, Apple will release the M6 this year only as a base chip for the entry-level class, but will discontinue the M6 Pro and M6 Max<\/a>, postponing the next high-performance models to the M7 series, which is specifically designed for AI and graphics workloads. An M6 Pro or M6 Max simply no longer exists in this plan. For the top-of-the-line model, Apple will therefore initially stick with its existing high-end chips, which are still manufactured using the 3-nanometer process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This results in a paradoxical situation: The separate, more affordable entry-level MacBook Pro with the regular M6 \u2013 without OLED and without a touchscreen \u2013 would be Apple's first Mac built on the more modern 2-nanometer process, while the significantly more expensive top-of-the-line OLED model uses the older 3-nm chips of the M5 generation. Apple is therefore launching a completely redesigned premium MacBook that runs on the same chip level as the current MacBook Pro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple is expected to close the gap between design leaps and chip stagnation with the successor: This is rumored to be launching with the upcoming M7 Pro and M7 Max chips, is reportedly in an advanced testing phase, and is not expected before the end of 2027. The M7 series is specifically designed for AI tasks \u2013 with improved neural accelerators, a more powerful graphics unit, and higher memory bandwidth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Design: Thinner, lighter, new casing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The MacBook Ultra is expected to be the first complete redesign<\/strong> of the MacBook Pro since 2021:<\/p>\n\n\n\n