Apple may be preparing one of the most significant MacBook updates in recent years. According to research firm Omdia, Samsung Display will start shipping new hybrid OLED panels for a rumored MacBook Ultra in July 2026. If the timeline holds, the laptop could be announced as early as the third quarter, with September looking like the most likely window.
Two screen sizes are expected: 14.3 inches and 16.3 inches. At first glance, that’s barely different from the current 14.2- and 16.2-inch MacBook Pro models, but the slight increase in diagonal suggests thinner bezels and a redesigned chassis. The display technology itself is also a step up: it uses oxide TFT and RGB tandem OLED, which should deliver better energy efficiency and image quality than standard OLED panels.
Inside, the MacBook Ultra is rumored to pack the future Apple M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. However, the bigger talking point isn’t the performance boost but the possible redesign. Apple hasn’t changed the overall look of the MacBook Pro since the M1 Pro and M1 Max models launched in 2021. Now the company could make the body thinner and lighter while keeping the cooling and performance that professional users need.
The most controversial change could be a touchscreen. Apple has long insisted that Macs don’t need a touchscreen, so its addition would be one of the biggest reversals in the lineup’s history. If the rumor is true, the MacBook Ultra wouldn’t just be another laptop with a new chip—it would be the first step toward a closer merger of the Mac and iPad.
Another possibility is ditching the current notch in favor of a cutout styled like the Dynamic Island. That would visually bring the MacBook closer to the iPhone and potentially use the area around the camera for notifications, indicators, and background activities. For now, it’s unclear whether that approach would be more practical than the current design.
Based on leaks, the MacBook Ultra could sit above the standard MacBook Pro rather than replacing it. With OLED, a touchscreen, a thinner body, new chips, and a revamped design, Apple has reason to carve out a separate premium category. If the company indeed unveils it this fall, it would mark the most serious MacBook overhaul in five years.