For 20 years, Apple said you should never touch a laptop screen. On Wednesday, that may finally change.
Apple's "Pro and Tell" launch is on October 28. Here is everything expected: the first touchscreen MacBook Pro, an OLED iPad mini, and new M6 Macs.
By A Rashwan · Cairo Times 24 · October 25, 2026 · 6 min read
Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Apple may also post its press releases earlier in the morning (around 9 a.m. New York time).
Apple is having a huge October. First came the new smart home products. Then the iPhone Duo, which sold out in about 30 minutes. Now Apple has one more launch before the year ends, and the name says it all: "Pro and Tell."
Apple confirmed the date on October 19, and marketing chief Greg Joswiak teased it online. Apple has not said which products are coming. But almost every trusted report, led by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, points to the same list. The star is a MacBook Pro you can touch.
No big keynote this time
Do not wait for a live stream. Just like the October 13 "Welcome Home" launch, this is not a classic Apple event on stage. Apple has invited a group of journalists and creators to Los Angeles to try the new devices with their own hands. Everyone else will see the news through Apple's press releases on the morning of October 28, followed by the first hands-on videos.
1. The first touchscreen MacBook Pro The star
This is the big one. Mark Gurman first reported that Apple was working on a touchscreen Mac back in January 2023. Almost four years later, it looks ready. Here is what the reports say:
- OLED screen: deeper blacks, stronger contrast and richer colors than today's mini-LED screen.
- Touch: you can tap and swipe the screen, but the keyboard and trackpad stay. Touch is an extra, not a replacement.
- macOS for fingers: the software can switch between a touch-friendly layout and the normal mouse layout.
- Goodbye notch, hello Dynamic Island: a small hole-punch camera with the iPhone-style Dynamic Island around it.
- Stronger hinge: so the screen does not wobble when you tap it.
- Lighter body: described as "significantly lighter," though maybe not much thinner.
- Two sizes: 14-inch and 16-inch.
- Name: it stays "MacBook Pro." The old "MacBook Ultra" rumor looks dead.
The one catch: no new chip
Reports say the touchscreen MacBook Pro will use the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips that came out in March. Apple is said to be skipping M6 Pro and M6 Max, and M7 Pro and Max are not expected until late 2027. So this is a big upgrade in design and screen, not in raw speed.
How much will it cost?
Apple has not said. OLED and touch parts are expensive, so the new model is widely expected to cost more than today's MacBook Pro, and may sit above it as a new premium option. Estimates in the press range from about $2,499 to close to $3,000, and Gulf News floated a figure around Dh11,000 for the UAE. Treat all of these as guesses until Wednesday.
2. iPad mini 8 with OLED
The iPad mini has not been updated since October 2024. The new one could be a big jump:
- OLED display, the first iPad outside the Pro line to get it
- A20 Pro chip, the same as iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
- New speakers without holes, which may make it the first water-resistant iPad
- Front camera moved to the long side, better for video calls in landscape
The bad news: reports say it could cost around $200 more than the current $599 model, so about $799.
3. Entry 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6
The cheaper MacBook Pro is expected to move from the M5 chip to the new M6, with no design change. That creates a funny situation: the cheaper MacBook Pro may get the newer chip, while the expensive touchscreen model keeps the M5 family.
4. 24-inch iMac with M6
The iMac still runs on M4. The new model should get the M6 chip, the same chip already found in the new Mac mini, with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU. The outside design stays the same, but new color options are rumored.
Pre-orders: expected to open on October 28, right after the announcement.
In stores: Bloomberg reports Apple Stores are preparing to sell the new products from Friday, November 6.
Should you buy a Mac or iPad right now?
Simple answer: wait three days. If you are thinking about a MacBook Pro, an iMac or an iPad mini, Wednesday will either give you a better model or push today's prices down. There is no reason to buy one of these this weekend.
Why this matters
Steve Jobs once argued that touchscreens on laptops were a bad idea, because holding your arm up to a screen gets tiring. For two decades, Apple stuck to that view and pushed the iPad for touch. A touchscreen MacBook Pro would be one of Apple's biggest changes of direction in years. Combine it with the iPhone Duo, and 2026 is the year Apple started rethinking the shape of its products.
We will update you on Wednesday with the official specs, prices and release dates. Stay with Cairo Times 24.
Apple October 28 event FAQ
When is Apple's "Pro and Tell" event?
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. New York, 5 p.m. London, 8 p.m. Cairo).
Will Apple live stream the October 28 event?
It is not expected to be a traditional live-streamed keynote. Apple is hosting a hands-on media experience in Los Angeles and will share the news through press releases.
Will the new MacBook Pro have a touchscreen?
Reports from Bloomberg and others say yes: 14-inch and 16-inch models with OLED touchscreens and a Dynamic Island. Apple has not confirmed it yet.
Which chip will the touchscreen MacBook Pro use?
Reports say M5 Pro and M5 Max, the same chips as the current high-end MacBook Pro.
When can I buy the new MacBook Pro and iPad mini?
Pre-orders are expected on October 28, with store availability reported for November 6, 2026.
