“Why did Apple decide to launch Macs with touchscreens?”

It seems that Apple has finally decided to reverse its position and catch up, as the company is currently developing its first touch-screen MacBook, in a long-awaited move by its audience.

This comes after more than a decade of mocking the very idea of a “touch-screen Mac.”

Tech expert Mark Gurman revealed that the MacBook Touch project is no longer just an experimental idea within the company but has transitioned into an actual production plan—a curious development given Apple’s history of mocking products it later imitates.

From Mockery to Imitation

Apple has criticized its competitors’ products only to later adopt the same ideas, starting with large-screen devices, moving to smart pens, and culminating with artificial intelligence, which it initially described as a “passing fad” before launching its own initiative under the name “Apple Intelligence.” According to a report by “phonearena,” reviewed by “Al-Arabiya Business,” this initiative still faces performance and integration challenges.

The Real Reason Behind the Reversal

Gurman indicates that the long-standing rejection of the touch-screen Mac idea was primarily linked to the fear of declining iPad sales. Apple believed that having a touch screen on a Mac would lead users to forgo the iPad.

However, with the decline in iPad sales in recent years and the unification of device processors under the Apple Silicon system, the boundaries between the Mac and iPad have become less distinct.

Furthermore, the update to iPadOS 26 has made the iPad experience closer than ever to the macOS environment.

A Late but Necessary Step

Analysts believe the time is ripe for this step, as touchscreens have become a fundamental standard in modern laptops, especially in competing Windows devices.

MacBook Touch devices are expected to receive widespread acceptance from users who have long demanded them. However, this enthusiasm could negatively impact sales of the current generation of MacBook M5 devices, as consumers may hold off purchases in anticipation of the new model.

In the end, it appears that Apple did not suddenly change its conviction but was forced to adapt to a market that no longer accepts a strict separation between touch and keyboard—a shift that reflects the company’s realization that “touch is no longer an option, but a necessity.”

From Al Arabiya