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Steve Jobs Said a Touchscreen MacBook Wouldn't Work. But Times Have Changed

Commentary: The idea of a touchscreen MacBook doesn't worry me after a recent report on how it could work.

Headshot of Bridget Carey
Headshot of Bridget Carey
Bridget Carey Editor at Large
Bridget Carey is an award-winning reporter who helps you level-up your life -- while having a good time geeking out. Her exclusive CNET videos get you behind the scenes as she covers new trends, experiences and quirky gadgets. Her weekly video show, "One More Thing," explores what's new in the world of Apple and what's to come. She started as a reporter at The Miami Herald with syndicated newspaper columns for product reviews and social media advice. Now she's a mom who also stays on top of toy industry trends and robots. (Kids love robots.)
Expertise Consumer technology | Apple | Google | Samsung | Microsoft | Amazon | Meta | Social media | Mobile | Robots | Future tech | Immersive technology | Toys | Culture Credentials
  • Bridget has spent over 18 years as a consumer tech reporter, hosting daily tech news shows and writing syndicated newspaper columns. She's often a guest on national radio and television stations, including ABC, CBS, CNBC and NBC.
Bridget Carey
2 min read
Bridget Carey stands in front of a MacBook, pointing at the screen.

The line between iPad and MacBook may get a little more blurred this year. Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on a touchscreen MacBook Pro with an OLED screen to be released by the end of 2026. 

It's a product I never expected to see anytime soon. For the past 15 years, Apple executives have publicly dismissed the idea of putting a touchscreen on a MacBook, saying it would be uncomfortable to use. 

Steve Jobs told a crowd at an Apple event in 2010 that the company did "tons of user testing" on putting touchscreens on MacBooks and decided against it because, he said, "It doesn't work. It's ergonomically terrible." 

Watch this: New Touchscreen MacBook Details Emerge, Plus What to Expect at Apple's Big Event

While previewing Mac OS X Lion in 2010, Jobs explained the main issue was comfort, saying, "After a short period of time, you start to fatigue, and after an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off." 

So if Bloomberg's reporting is correct, certainly someone at Apple believes differently now. But before we cry out that this isn't what Steve Jobs wanted, let's not forget that Jobs said Apple did "tons" of user testing. It was something the company had been curious about. Maybe in the past 15 years, something changed. 

In this week's episode of One More Thing, embedded above, I go over the details from the Bloomberg report on how it might function. MacOS reportedly would only reveal touch menus when a finger hits the screen, helping it just complement the typical point-and-click interface. 

Certainly, this could avoid the criticism Microsoft faced when it overhauled its OS in Windows 8, moving to a hybrid interface that alienated longtime users.

This rumored device is for the end of the year, but Apple may have plenty of other gadgets to play with in the next week. Tim Cook teased that the company will be announcing new products starting on Monday. The company is expected to release a new iPhone 17E, along with updated models of the iPad and Mac lineup -- maybe as many as five different products. 

Apple is holding an invitation-only experience on Wednesday, March 4, in New York City, and I'll be there to cover whatever happens and will give my first impressions and full report on what one more thing (or many things) will have folks buzzing.

For more One More Thing, subscribe to our YouTube page to catch Bridget Carey breaking down the latest Apple news and issues every Friday.

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