The long overdue MacBook Pro design refresh might land in 2026
Apple has been using the same design language for the MacBook Pro since 2021. Half a decade later, we might get a modern makeover with snazzy new upgrades.
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Chris Hagan / Digital Trends
Apple likes to stick around with each product design refresh for at least a few generations. Take for example the M4 MacBook Pro, which is still carrying the same design language that was first introduced atop the M1 series models back in 2021.
Things could finally change next year. “In terms of major new Mac designs, I don’t expect the MacBook Pro to get an overhaul until around 2026 — when the M6 model is due to come out,” says a Bloomberg report.
Apple is currently working on refreshed MacBook Air and Pro models with M5-series processors. They might, however, stick with the same aesthetic formula as their respective M4-series counterparts. It’s not bad, but not without its flaws either.
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends“It’s no joke to lug around. Some will appreciate the extra screen real estate, no doubt, but there’s definitely a trade-off in mobility,” said Digital Trends’ review of the current-gen MacBook Pro.
“The one eyesore in the whole experience to me is still the notch in the display. I find it quite ugly and intrusive, and the way it cuts into the menu bar can be clumsy, especially on the 14-inch model,” the review adds.
What to expect from redesigned a MacBook Pro?
The long-rumored design refresh could finally hit the shelves in 2026. And it could be a big one from multiple perspectives. It could be thinner and lighter, but more importantly, it might phase out the mini-LED panel in favor of OLED screens.
Mark Coppock / Digital TrendsMost importantly, Apple is expected to get rid of the ugly boat-shaped notch, that was first introduced on the iPhone X, and subsequently made its way to Apple’s laptops, starting in 2021.
Rumors suggest a hole-cut in the screen for the M6 silicon laptop, but we’re not sure whether it will be the full Dynamic Island experience similar to the current-gen iPhones. A touch-sensitive display, however, remains a topic of hot debate.
Will Apple finally bring cellular connectivity to the MacBook, now that it has already put an in-house modem inside the iPhone 16e and plans to do the same for the iPads, as well? Only time will tell, but I would definitely love the convenience.
Nadeem is a tech and science journalist who started reading about cool smartphone tech out of curiosity and soon started…
10 years ago today, Apple launched a revolutionary MacBook that failed spectacularly
Ten years ago today, Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook to the world, claiming it had “reinvented the notebook” for the better. The laptop almost instantly divided opinion, with fans and detractors at each other’s throats from the start. And sure, it was by no means perfect, but look a little closer and I think you’ll find a device that has had a monumental impact on the world of computing -- not just on Apple, but on the industry as a whole.
The 12-inch MacBook is often seen as a flop and as a product emblematic of the excesses of Apple’s Jony Ive era, where the design guru’s penchant for thinness and lightness ruled all. The fact that this MacBook was discontinued after just four years is seen as proof of this idea.
The new MacBook Air has got a small, but significant keyboard update
This week, Apple introduced three new products: a fresh MacBook Air, iPad Air, and iPad. One thing each of these devices has in common is that they basically look the same as the models they are replacing—except for one tiny detail on the new MacBook.
As iCulture’s noted first, the new laptop addresses a design flaw that Apple has had for the past 26 years. Since the launch of the PowerBook G3 ‘Lombard’ in 1999, the mute key on every Apple laptop has featured a speaker icon. However, this design does not clearly indicate that the button can both mute and unmute the computer’s audio. With the introduction of the new MacBook Air, the keyboard now displays a speaker icon with a strike-through, clearly signaling its full function. For those keeping score at home, the button in question is the F10 key.
Honor MagicBook Pro 14 beats the new MacBook Air in one striking way
Although its name may suggest otherwise, Mobile World Congress (MWC) is not just a show for mobile devices. The business side touches every facet of the consumer technology industry, and many of the biggest companies unveil new products for the European and wider global markets.
The latest edition — MWC Barcelona 2025 — did oversee a return to form, with more mobile devices launched than in recent years, but one of the non-mobile devices that stood out for me was the Honor MagicBook Pro 14.
