Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacBook Neo 2 With a Touch Screen Has Gone From Yes to Maybe to No

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster


A second-generation MacBook Neo with a touch screen has gone from a yes to a maybe to a no, according to rumors.

Neo-Hands-On-Feature-Sans-Text.jpg

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple has yet to decide whether to bring touch-screen support to any Macs beyond the next high-end MacBook Pro, which is expected to be released in late 2026 or early 2027.

A touch screen would slightly increase the cost of making the MacBook Neo, which is priced as low as $499, so the laptop will likely remain without one for years.

In September 2025, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the second-generation MacBook Neo "could" include touch support, but last week he said it "may" not happen after all, and now Gurman has completely ruled out the possibility for now.

"I'd be shocked if a touch screen comes to the Neo in the next three years," said Gurman.

Nevertheless, a second-generation MacBook Neo will likely be released next year, according to Kuo. The key upgrade should be the A19 Pro chip with an increased 12GB of RAM, up from the A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM in the current model.

​


Article Link: MacBook Neo 2 With a Touch Screen Has Gone From Yes to Maybe to No
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/15/macbook-neo-2-no-touch-screen/
Last edited:
  • Haha
Reactions: SFjohn, Lioness~, Funny Apple Man and 1 other person
The first gen. NEO was a trial balloon. The 2nd gen. will be wildly successful at the same price. If they hold it there. 12GB RAM vs. 16GB MacBook Air at basically double the price will probably reduce sales of the Air a lot.

Probably some trade-ins too from NEO gen. 1 owners next year.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: zoga, Big_D and _Mitchan1999
After decades of availability on windows machines I still do not understand why I’d ever want a touch screen laptop. Like maybe some sort of convertible that could act like a pure tablet as long as the transition was seamless and the device light weight but reaching out to touch the screen when I have more ergonomic access to the keyboard and touxhpad? Why?
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
  • Love
Reactions: Jayayess1190, WLSON, StellarVixen and 26 others
syklee26 said:
Isnt this obvious? Why would Apple give a feature to entry level product but not available in upper tier products (unless entire mac lineup would have touch screen feature in next iteration)
Click to expand...
Analysts aren’t predicting anything for the average consumer. They’re paid to predict things for stock holders, etc. in that light what they say isn’t really an indication of what may come out, despite their seemingly clear language. It’s more of manipulation and other factors that can make people money despite the truth. Crazy times.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wanha
Stevenyo said:
After decades of availability on windows machines I still do not understand why I’d ever want a touch screen laptop. Like maybe some sort of convertible that could act like a pure tablet as long as the transition was seamless and the device light weight but reaching out to touch the screen when I have more ergonomic access to the keyboard and touxhpad? Why?
Click to expand...
I have a Surface Laptop 6 through work and I’ve never had the desire to use the touchscreen for any reason. Sometimes I’ll bump into it when I’m in between meetings and I actually forget that the functionality is even there 🤣
 
  • Like
Reactions: hans1972, mjs916, prospervic and 1 other person
This device is using binned leftover chips from the 16 Pro with 1 less GPU core. The SoC was basically free, which is what keeps the price of this laptop down. They won’t switch to a touchscreen until they have so many stocked in a warehouse collecting dust that it is cheaper to use them than to shop for something else.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: WLSON, abowlby, trusso and 3 others
The touch screen rumor cycle around the Neo is probably missing the point.

People tend to frame this as a philosophical question to whether Apple is finally willing to admit that touch belongs on the Mac. But the Neo isn’t really a philosophical product. It’s a cost engineered one.

The entire reason the Neo exists at $499–$599 is that Apple is reusing a huge amount of the iPhone silicon ecosystem and keeping the hardware extremely simple. Once you understand that, the touch question becomes much less mysterious.

Adding touch isn’t just “one extra feature.” It means a different display assembly. Higher cost and higher complexity.

And the Neo doesn’t actually need touch to succeed in the segment Apple is targeting.

The machine isn’t competing with iPads. It’s competing with the low end Windows and Chromebook laptops that dominate the $400–$700 retail band. In that market, the differentiator Apple is introducing isn’t touch, it’s Apple Silicon efficiency, build quality, and the macOS ecosystem at a price point where Macs historically didn’t exist.

So the real question isn’t “why doesn’t the Neo have touch?”

The real question is: What problem would touch solve for this product that Apple currently needs solved?

Until there’s a clear answer to that, the simplest explanation is that Apple will keep the Neo exactly as it is, cheap, simple, and strategically disruptive to the bottom end of the laptop market.

Touch screens make much more sense on higher margin Macs where Apple can absorb the cost without undermining the whole point of the machine.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: hans1972, wanha, WRONG and 11 others
I think the next generation Neo will have: A19, 12GB RAM, and backlit keyboard. A backlit keyboard would be an important upgrade for typical everyday users. As just one example, lots of students work on their papers in darkened dorm rooms while their roommate sleeps. It is a pretty basic productivity feature for a laptop.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eifelbube, Biro, ConfusedChris and 2 others
Mac Fly (film) said:
Touchscreen on a laptop is a silly idea. Backlit keyboard is a good idea.
Click to expand...
I don't think you understand why touchscreens are useful in schools. Some have that requirement. Why?

"These touchscreen Chromebooks are set to be a game-changer, distinguishing themselves from regular models by offering an intuitive and interactive learning experience. The decision to introduce this cutting-edge technology was driven by a keen awareness that young students often face challenges with keyboarding skills."

Not just for younger kids, but also for accessibility/special needs. And kids can use tablet-style apps for drawing and other activities. No need for the school to also buy tablets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rradcircless
Stevenyo said:
After decades of availability on windows machines I still do not understand why I’d ever want a touch screen laptop. Like maybe some sort of convertible that could act like a pure tablet as long as the transition was seamless and the device light weight but reaching out to touch the screen when I have more ergonomic access to the keyboard and touxhpad? Why?
Click to expand...
I hope it never comes also.... It’s entirely plausible Apple is trying to find out who's leaking this inside info so they can bust them... Sort of a honey pot.. But Steve also said many times, including here for all to see on YouTube, this doesn't work physics-wise.. Unless you can fold it all the way back into a tablet and lay it flat..
 
Mainsail said:
and backlit keyboard. A backlit keyboard would be an important upgrade for typical everyday users.
Click to expand...
I don't see it, but since Neo keyboards are replaceable, perhaps 3rd party backlit keyboards could/will exist by then?

In another thread I just pointed out that I paid $1300 in 2006 for the entry level (white plastic) MacBook and how that would be $2095 today, so I doubt Apple, who appear to be playing a longer game here, would quickly remove one of the biggest reasons to buy a more expensive model. It's like hoping for Face ID on the iPad Air.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BSDnostalgia
If it is really using the A19 Pro package, I am wondering if they would use the new NAND / SSD as well as it would double the current Neo's SSD performance.
 
chars1ub0w said:
The first gen. NEO was a trial balloon. The 2nd gen. will be wildly successful at the same price. If they hold it there. 12GB RAM vs. 16GB MacBook Air at basically double the price will probably reduce sales of the Air a lot.

Probably some trade-ins too from NEO gen. 1 owners next year.
Click to expand...
For that reason I think the Neo 2 gets an A19 Pro with 8GB, perhaps 10GB, but not 12GB. They want to keep the Air differentiated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CharlesShaw
No 💩 the Neo doesn't even have a keyboard backlight, why would Apple put a touchscreen on this one first.

My HP laptop from work has a Touchscreen and a Privacy Screen that you can turn on and off and even that laptop is 2k
 
ksec said:
If it is really using the A19 Pro package, I am wondering if they would use the new NAND / SSD as well as it would double the current Neo's SSD performance.
Click to expand...
Probably. They might limit the RAM, but I wouldn’t see them redesigning the A19 Pro with slower NAND.
 
contacos said:
No 💩 the Neo doesn't even have a keyboard backlight, why would Apple put a touchscreen on this one first.
Click to expand...
I don’t see it happening. Apple will gauge the uptake of the “MacBook Ultra” (or whatever it’s called) and whether people are actually using the touchscreen. If they are, then it will trickle down, likely as an optional feature. But given that Windows users rarely use the touchscreens in daily use, I’m not sure it does trickle down. Apple might tout Apple Pencil compatibility, which may be appealing to those using Creative Suite (and likely candidates for the Ultra or Pros with touch capabilities).
 
My young nieces use the touchscreen on their laptops all the time. Seems like this is a feature that will appeal to younger folks whose primary devices (iPhones, iPads) are touch-centric. I've seen some kids get a bit confused when handed a laptop and touching the screen does nothing.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this feature on Macs in the near future. For a device marketed strongly to students, it makes perfect sense. I'll never use it but it's not intended for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reason077, eifelbube and Student of Life
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back