Apple will launch a touchscreen MacBook Pro at the "Pro and Tell" event on Wednesday, October 28. The new laptop may feature an OLED panel and a Dynamic Island. Apple plans to keep the keyboard central while adding touch support for scrolling and zooming to the updated macOS Golden Gate.

The MacBook Pro may get the biggest update in years this week. Apple is reportedly set to launch the MacBook Pro with a touchscreen on Wednesday. Here is everything you need to know about it.

Over the years, the MacBook Pro has found itself a cult following. However, it lagged one feature that its Windows rivals had - a touchscreen. And now, it seems that Apple is finally addressing this with the upcoming MacBook Pro models at the "Pro and Tell" event.

As per a report from Bloomberg, Apple is planning to launch a touchscreen MacBook Pro during the "Pro and tell" event on Wednesday, October 28. But touch support is not the only feature that will be added to the MacBook Pro. Here's everything you can expect from Apple's next big refresh for the device.

Touchscreen MacBook Pro with OLED

As per the report, the new MacBook Pro will get a touchscreen. However, it is likely that touch support will be integrated as an additional input method rather than make the MacBook Pro a touch-first device or a combination of a Mac and an iPad.

It is believed that Apple will keep the keyboard and trackpad central to how you use your MacBook. The touchscreen, meanwhile, will support actions such as scrolling, pinching, panning, zooming and swiping.

To make this work, Apple is expected to tweak macOS Golden Gate to make the UI easier to use with a finger. The software will reportedly have a dynamic interface that considers whether a person has been using the display or trackpad before presenting controls. Touching a button could bring up a menu around your finger, while the Dock and Menu Bar have been optimised for touch.

Another upgrade for the MacBook Pro could be an OLED display. Such a display would offer deeper blacks and better contrast than the mini-LED screens used in current MacBook Pro models. And Apple may finally get rid of the notch on the MacBook Pro too. Instead, we may see a Dynamic Island on the device, similar to what we have seen on the iPhone for years now.

The new MacBook Pro is expected to be available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

Touchscreen MacBook Pro launch and expected price

While the addition of a touchscreen and OLED panel sounds great, it will likely lead to higher prices. The report says that the touchscreen MacBook will sit above the existing high-end MacBook Pro models and cost significantly more than the current versions. In India, the M5 Max MacBook Pro starts at Rs 2,99,900.

The new MacBook Pro is expected to be launched at Apple's "Pro and tell" experience in Los Angeles. The event is scheduled for October 28, and will start at 10 am Pacific Time, or 10:30 pm IST.

Apple has invited people to a 'Pro and tell' experience in Los Angeles at 10 am Pacific Time on October 28. Attendees are likely to receive hands-on time with the laptops after their expected announcement through a press release.

The existing 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with mini-LED displays are expected to remain on sale for now. Apple is also reportedly preparing a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip and the current design. This would create three MacBook Pro tiers - an entry-level 14-inch M6 model, the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max models, and the redesigned OLED touchscreen versions.

Apple is expected eventually to merge its touch and non-touch high-end MacBook Pro lines if costs decline. The company is also testing OLED versions of the MacBook Air and iMac, though those are not considered imminent. A new non-OLED iMac is expected this week, while a refreshed non-OLED MacBook Air is due early next year.