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MacBook Neo 2 Could Feature Touchscreen

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Apple's second-generation MacBook Neo will launch in 2027 and could feature a touchscreen, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

MacBook-Neo-Feature-Pastel-1.jpg

Apple this week announced the MacBook Neo, an all-new entry-level Apple laptop that starts at $599, with education pricing at $499. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ is designed to compete with lower-cost Windows laptops and Chromebooks, while expanding the Mac lineup with a substantially more affordable option.

Unlike every other Apple silicon Mac, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ is powered by the A18 Pro chip originally developed for the iPhone 16 Pro. The machine features a colorful rounded design, a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with uniform iPad-style bezels rather than a notch, a color-matched Magic Keyboard, a mechanical trackpad, two USB-C ports, 8GB of memory, a headphone jack, a 1080p camera, dual mics, dual speakers with Spatial Audio, and a 16-hour battery life.

In a report shared last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo correctly said that the MacBook Neo would enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, but would not feature a touchscreen. In the same report, he revealed some insights into the second-generation version of the device.

Crucially, Kuo said that the second-generation MacBook Neo may feature a touchscreen. Apple's first touchscreen Mac is expected to launch later this year in the form of a new, high-end MacBook Pro with an OLED display and a new design.

The device is specifically said to incorporate a touch panel that uses on-cell touch technology. On-cell touch technology integrates the touch sensors directly into the display panel's top layer (the "cell") rather than requiring a separate, dedicated touch layer, to reduce thickness.

Following the launch of this device and the adoption of touch support in macOS 27, it would make sense for other MacBooks with the feature to follow. Many other laptops from HP, Lenovo, Acer, and ASUS that now rival the MacBook Neo already feature touchscreens.

As of September 2025, specifications for the second-generation MacBook Neo were still under discussion, according to Kuo. A faster chip such as the A19 Pro with 12GB of memory is highly likely.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested that Apple may expand "Neo" branding to other low-cost devices such as the Apple Watch SE, making it the "Apple Watch Neo."

Article Link: MacBook Neo 2 Could Feature Touchscreen
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/08/macbook-neo-2-could-feature-touchscreen/
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At THAT price? So we go from a potential 4 grand laptop with touch screen to a 600 dollar laptop with touchscreen as the first Mac devices with it? How does that make any sense?

I think the word ‘COULD’ is the key word here in his opinion……..
 
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Pezimak said:
At THAT price? So we go from a potential 4 grand laptop with touch screen to a 600 dollar laptop with touchscreen as the first Mac devices with it? How does that make any sense?

I think the word ‘COULD’ is the key word here in his opinion……..
Click to expand...
Agreed. Every MacBook from Neo to Pro could theoretically have a touchscreen in the future 😂.
 
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They could potentially use the same 13 inch display they use with the iPad Air and save a bit on manufacturing. Not sure how they would keep that price point though.
 
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Pezimak said:
At THAT price? So we go from a potential 4 grand laptop with touch screen to a 600 dollar laptop with touchscreen as the first Mac devices with it? How does that make any sense?
Click to expand...
I’m a bit confused with what you were asking…
It’s not the touchscreen that’s going to make the MacBook Pro $4000, the touchscreen likely costs Apple pretty much nothing.
It’s the tandem OLED display and the more powerful two nanometer chips and so on.
I’ve always thought it was pretty obvious that, if the touchscreen MacBook Pro was received well, it would spread to the entire line-up.
The MBP is just going to be the computer that gets it first
 
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daemondust said:
Could, but won't. If you want touchscreen, get an iPad. A Mac is never going to have a touch screen, and you're embarrassing yourself to keep reporting that the next one might, year after year.
Click to expand...
I mean, when it’s just one singular source saying it you might have a point.
But Kuo, Gurman, The Information and several other sources at this point have all now said the next MacBook Pro will have a tandem OLED with an on-cel touch display produced by Samsung, and they all agree that it’s coming this fall.
At this point, it’s not random sporadic reports, it’s pretty much as close to confirmed as it can get before it actually comes from Apple themselves.
With how absolutely massive apples supply chain is, there is tons and tons of smoke for their not to be a fire here.
 
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Lounge vibes 05 said:
I’m a bit confused with what you were asking…
It’s not the touchscreen that’s going to make the MacBook Pro $4000, the touchscreen likely costs Apple pretty much nothing.
It’s the tandem OLED display and the more powerful tune nanometer chips and so on.
I’ve always thought it was pretty obvious that, if the touchscreen MacBook Pro was received well, it would spread to the entire line-up.
The MBP is just going to be the computer that gets it first
Click to expand...

The question is easy, you will have the most expensive computer and the cheapest computer as the FIRST Mac devices with a touch screen... something that if it happens is pretty revolutionary for Apple. There will be nothing in-between? It literally makes no sense.
 
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daemondust said:
Could, but won't. If you want touchscreen, get an iPad. A Mac is never going to have a touch screen, and you're embarrassing yourself to keep reporting that the next one might, year after year.
Click to expand...

I disagree with this very literal point that is always raised. It's nice to have the option of a touch screen, you be able to flick between things on the screen, or manipulate objects with touch when I want to. Of course you use the trackpad more but it's nice to have.
 
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Pezimak said:
The question is easy, you will have the most expensive computer and the cheapest computer as the FIRST Mac devices with a touch screen... something that if it happens is pretty revolutionary for Apple. There will be nothing in-between? It literally makes no sense.
Click to expand...
Again, I’m not sure what you mean?
Literally this week we saw the MacBook Neo and the 2026 MacBook Air go on sale at the exact same time, both shipping on March 11.
All this report is saying is that it’s very likely after the MacBook Pro gets a touchscreen, it will make its way down to the lower end MacBooks as well, obviously you can just assume if the Neo gets it the Air will too.
Also, the MacBook Air is rumored to get a single layer OLED display in 2028 already, pretty clear that will be a touchscreen as well.
 
Lounge vibes 05 said:
Again, I’m not sure what you mean?
Literally this week we saw the MacBook Neo and the 2026 MacBook Air go on sale at the exact same time, both shipping on March 11.
All this report is saying is that it’s very likely after the MacBook Pro gets a touchscreen, it will make its way down to the lower end MacBooks as well, obviously you can just assume if the Neo gets it the Air will too.
Also, the MacBook Air is rumored to get a single layer OLED display in 2028 already, pretty clear that will be a touchscreen as well.
Click to expand...

Did you read this story? Doesn't seem like it. I think I have explained my point anyway, seems lots of others have understood what I meant.
 
daemondust said:
Could, but won't. If you want touchscreen, get an iPad. A Mac is never going to have a touch screen, and you're embarrassing yourself to keep reporting that the next one might, year after year.
Click to expand...
Good point, Touchscreen would invalidate the Ipad lineup completely. A19 and 12gb ram is 100% though
 
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Don't think this will happen. Definitely the MacBook cannot have a touch screen anywhere near the pricing of the current Neo.
 
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Selling a touchscreen only in a MacBook Pro or MacBook Ultra as an upsell won't work.

Especially since Apple will be making some adjustments in macOS 27.

That's why I could imagine touchscreens in the Neo.
Couldn't Apple just use the iPad displays for this?

Or develop and use the same displays when planning the next generations of MacBook and iPad?
 
ashtray_99 said:
Touchscreen would invalidate the Ipad lineup completely
Click to expand...

It depends on your point of view:

Only for users who always use their iPad with the Magic Keyboard, perhaps.
Although you could also say that they don't really need a tablet then.

People who use their tablet for a variety of purposes will never give it up.

I think touchscreen on the MacBook would be cool.
Fast-forwarding and rewinding, pinch to zoom...

It works better that way.
 
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