Apple’s next major MacBook update may go beyond another Pro refresh. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is preparing a redesigned high-end MacBook that could use the “MacBook Ultra” name and sit above the MacBook Pro as the company’s most advanced laptop.
The launch is now expected in early 2027, with late 2026 looking less likely because of the global memory chip shortage. That timing would make sense. Apple only recently updated the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, but the rumored Ultra sounds like a much bigger hardware reset.
OLED, touch, and Dynamic Island could change how the MacBook feels
The biggest expected upgrade is OLED. Current MacBook Pro models use LCD displays with mini-LED backlighting. OLED would bring richer color, higher contrast, and true blacks, bringing the MacBook closer to the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad Pro, which already use OLED panels.
The display may also support touch. That would be a major shift for Apple, which has long kept the Mac and iPad separate. A touchscreen MacBook still would not replace the keyboard or trackpad, but it could make quick taps, media controls, drawing tools, previews, and iPad-style app interfaces feel more natural.
Apple is also rumored to replace the notch with a hole-punch camera and a Dynamic Island-style interface. On the Mac, that area could show alerts like AirPods connections, low battery warnings, or background activity. More importantly, it would make the display design feel cleaner and more intentional than the current notch.
M6 Pro and M6 Max chips could bring a real performance jump
The MacBook Ultra is expected to use Apple’s future M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. The key detail is that these chips are rumored to be built on TSMC’s 2nm process, while the current M5 Pro and M5 Max use a third-generation 3nm process.
That could give Apple more room for speed and efficiency gains than a normal yearly chip update. For pro users, that matters because better performance per watt can improve battery life, reduce fan noise, and keep heavy workloads running faster for longer.
The “Ultra” branding would also fit Apple’s lineup. Apple already uses the name for its highest-end Mac chips, and bringing it to the MacBook would make the top laptop easier to separate from the regular Pro models.
A thinner body only works if Apple keeps the Pro features
The new model is expected to be thinner, helped partly by the move from mini-LED to OLED. That sounds good on paper, but Apple has to be careful.
MacBook Pro users still remember the years when Apple chased thinness and removed useful ports. The 2021 redesign fixed that by bringing back MagSafe, HDMI, and the SD card slot. So far, there is no sign Apple plans to remove those ports again, and that matters more than shaving off a little thickness.
A thinner MacBook Ultra only makes sense if it keeps the things that made the modern MacBook Pro trusted again: ports, battery life, cooling, and sustained performance.
Built-in cellular could make the MacBook more independent
Apple has reportedly considered built-in cellular for future Macs. If it arrives on the MacBook Ultra, the laptop could use Apple’s own modem technology, such as the C1X or a future C2 chip, for 5G and LTE.
Macs can already connect through an iPhone hotspot, but built-in cellular would remove that extra step. For people who work while traveling, that would make the MacBook feel more independent, closer to the iPad in one area where Apple’s tablet has always had an advantage.
The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro is not expected to get most of these changes. If the rumors hold, Apple may be saving the full redesign for the very top of the lineup: OLED, touch, Dynamic Island, 2nm M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a thinner body, and possibly cellular in one premium MacBook.
