Apple's MacBook Neo Unlikely to Get Touchscreen Upgrade Like Upcoming MacBook Pro Models: Mark Gurman

Apple launched the MacBook Neo earlier this month as its new affordable laptop. The new model boasts a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, and it runs on Apple's A18 Pro chip. Now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims that the MacBook Neo is unlikely to get a touchscreen anytime soon. According to Gurman, if Apple decides to add touch support to Macs, it will debut on the MacBook Pro rather than the MacBook Neo. Using a touchscreen would increase production costs, and it may lead Apple to raise MacBook Neo's price range. The MacBook Neo features Apple's Magic Keyboard and has a 36.5Wh battery.

MacBook Neo May Not Get a Touchscreen Due to Affordable Pricing 

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman shared his thoughts about the newly launched MacBook Neo. He called it a 'terrific device', highlighting its build, display, trackpad, and performance, noting that it is better than anything else in its price range. However, Gurman notes that the second-generation MacBook Neo is unlikely to include touch support, a claim that recently surfaced online days after the first Neo model was launched.

The journalist said that Apple has not yet decided whether to add touchscreens to Macs beyond the MacBook Pro, which could arrive by the end of this year. Therefore, Gurman says he is doubtful about "touch is being considered for Apple's lowest-tier Mac".

If Apple plans to bring touch support to more Macs, the MacBook Air would be the more suitable choice, according to Gurman, who says that the MacBook Air isn't expected to receive an iPhone-style OLED display for "at least two years". He adds that he would be shocked if a touchscreen comes to the Neo in the next three years.

According to Gurman, Apple had to redesign Neo's components to bring its price down to $599 or $499 for education customers. Adding a touch display would increase costs, making the possibility of a touchscreen even more unlikely.

Apple launched MacBook Neo earlier this month, and prices start at Rs. 69,900 for the base model with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. The 512GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 79,900. As mentioned, it has a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a pixel density of 219ppi. It includes Apple's Magic Keyboard and supports Touch ID for biometric authentication (available only in the 512GB model). It ships with Apple's A18 Pro chip and has a 36.5Wh battery that is said to last up to 16 hours of video streaming on a single charge.