Apple is notorious for keeping things close to the vest. But following last week’s launch of the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max, rumors are swirling widely that the company may roll out either an M6 MacBook Pro or a “MacBook Ultra” this year.
The latter would come with an OLED display, touchscreen, and a higher price point, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. While Apple has been expected to launch new M6-series MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, touchscreen functionality, and a new, thinner design in the fourth quarter of 2026, Gurman is instead suggesting that the rollout will be an all-new kind of MacBook.
If Gurman’s prediction is to be believed, the MacBook Ultra will be a new, top-tier Apple laptop instead of a successor to the just-announced M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros. The device is likely to rank above the current M5 MacBook Pros, rather than replace them, Gurman added, which may indicate that they will remain on sale.
He theorized that while Apple might keep the traditional MacBook Pro name, “a ‘MacBook Ultra’ label would more clearly signal their position at the top of the lineup.”
If an M6 MacBook Pro is in our future
If Apple launches the M6 MacBook Pro, it would include several innovations. The company reportedly plans to add a touchscreen, making it the first Mac to support touch. It will be added as a secondary input method, with the keyboard and trackpad/mouse remaining the primary method.
Further, while the M6 MacBook Pro is expected to offer the same 14-inch and 16-inch size options, it would be the first Mac to feature an OLED display. This is expected to help move the MacBook Pro further up the market.
Instead of the standard notch that current models have, the M6 MacBook Pro is expected to come with a smaller camera cutout that is used for a Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped UI feature on iPhone 14 Pro/newer models that displays real-time, context-aware information.
Further down the road
Gurman anticipates that other product lines, including the iPad and iMac, will likely expand into this high-end tier.
There is ongoing debate within Apple as to whether to release a high-end foldable OLED iPad, according to Gurman, which he said, “would be a natural fit for an Ultra designation.” Meanwhile, Gurman added, “Apple continues experimenting with iMacs featuring beefier processors and larger displays.”
Upgrades and new products
Apple unveiled a slew of new products last week, including an entry-level MacBook Neo laptop for $599. It also took the wraps off the iPhone 17e, the newest member of its flagship family, doubling the base storage to 256GB, while holding the price steady at $599.
CEO Tim Cook’s modus operandi is not to introduce brand new products, Gurman said. Instead, his approach is to take proven ones and stretch them “across multiple price points to capture as much market share as possible,” Gurman said.
Last month, Gurman said he believes Apple is planning to launch M5 Max and M5 Ultra versions of the Mac Studio desktop this year.
