Apple is expected to introduce the M6 MacBook Pro later this year, and current rumors suggest the update will go far beyond a routine chip refresh.
From a thinner chassis and OLED display to touchscreen support and a possible cellular option, the upcoming model could mark one of the biggest MacBook Pro changes in recent years.
The M6 MacBook Pro could bring Apple’s biggest MacBook Pro redesign in years
The MacBook Pro design was last refreshed in 2021, but reports indicate Apple is preparing a major redesign for the next generation. Bloomberg describes the new model as a complete overhaul that will make the device thinner and lighter than the current version.
There is still no clear information about whether the port selection will change, though Apple is not expected to repeat the compromises seen in its pre-2021 designs. The chassis will still need to maintain enough thickness for proper cooling under heavy workloads.
Apple is also expected to launch three versions of its next-generation chip family: M6, M6 Pro, and M6 Max. It is not yet certain whether the MacBook Pro will be the first device to debut these processors. The M6 generation is rumored to bring a larger leap than usual, partly because it is expected to use a new 2 nm manufacturing process.
Similar advances are also rumored for Apple’s A20 Pro chip on the iPhone side. It remains unclear whether the M6 MacBook Pro lineup will arrive all at once or follow a staggered release schedule like the M5 generation. Recent reports point to a single rollout.
Touchscreen support is another feature that may finally reach the Mac lineup with this model. If the reports are accurate, the M6 MacBook Pro will become the first Mac with a touchscreen display. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is developing touch as a secondary input method rather than a replacement for the keyboard and trackpad.
macOS 27 is expected to include interface adjustments that make controls more touch-friendly while still working naturally for users without a touchscreen. Many standard gestures already familiar from iPhone and iPad are also expected to be supported.
The display may be one of the most significant upgrades. While OLED panels have long been standard on iPhones and arrived on the iPad Pro in 2024, the Mac has so far remained outside that transition.
The M6 MacBook Pro is rumored to become the first Mac with OLED technology. That change could bring deeper blacks, stronger contrast, and improved viewing angles. It may also help Apple reduce the overall thickness of the device.
Apple may also retire the notch introduced on the 2021 MacBook Pro. In its place, the redesigned model is expected to use a hole-punch camera cutout. Alongside that hardware change, Apple is said to be preparing a Dynamic Island-style software feature for macOS. Similar to the implementation on iPhone, this interface could visually integrate the camera area while also adding new functionality. Live Activities and extended menu bar interactions are among the possible use cases being discussed.
Another feature being considered is cellular connectivity. Apple has never released a Mac with built-in cellular support, but that could change in the near future. In a report published in late 2024, Mark Gurman said Apple was exploring the idea of bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac for the first time.
At the time, the expectation was that such a feature would not arrive before 2026, when Apple’s second-generation modem would be ready with faster speeds. Even so, if the company’s C2 modem becomes available around the same period as the iPhone 18 Pro, the timing could align for an M6 MacBook Pro cellular option. For now, that feature remains a possibility rather than a confirmed addition.
