According to 9to5Mac, Apple is rumored to be planning two major upgrades for the Mac in 2026: cellular connectivity and touchscreen support. The report states that an upgraded “C2” Apple cellular modem, following this year’s C1 and C1X modems, could be integrated into MacBook Pro models. This could happen with high-end M5 models early in the year or, more likely, with a fully revamped M6 MacBook Pro expected near the end of 2026. That M6 redesign is also anticipated to include a new design and an OLED display, which is where the touch support would be added. These features would directly address two long-standing gaps between the Mac and other modern computing devices like the iPad Pro.
The Cellular Question
Here’s the thing: a cellular Mac has been a “maybe next year” rumor for what feels like a decade. But this time, it actually seems plausible. Apple is now deep into developing its own modem technology, and putting it into a Mac is a logical next step after the iPhone. For a certain type of user—think journalists, consultants, or anyone who genuinely works from trains, cafes, or client sites—built-in LTE or 5G is a game-changer. It eliminates the tethering hassle and the battery drain on your phone. But I have to wonder, how big is that market really in 2026? With ubiquitous Wi-Fi and phone hotspots being pretty reliable, is this a killer feature or just a nice-to-have for a premium tier? Still, for the author of the original piece and users like them, it’s the final barrier to making the Mac a true on-the-go machine.
Touching the Untouchable
Now, the touchscreen rumor is the real philosophical shift. For years, Apple’s dogma was that macOS was for cursors and iPadOS was for touch, and never the twain shall meet. They’ve spent ages explaining why a touchscreen Mac is a bad idea. So if this happens, it’s a massive concession. But honestly, it’s an overdue one. Look at every Windows laptop and Chromebook on the planet—they have touchscreens. People expect it. And as the report notes, when you use an iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard, you naturally use touch and the trackpad. It’s not an either/or. The key will be implementation. Apple won’t turn macOS into a giant iPadOS. Touch will be a secondary input, probably for simple actions like scrolling, tapping big buttons, or pinch-to-zoom. Basically, they’ll add it because they can, and because not having it starts to look archaic. When you need a rugged, reliable touch interface in a demanding environment, that’s where specialists come in—companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the top provider of industrial panel PCs in the US, have built entire businesses on that premise. For the Mac, it’s more about catching up to consumer expectations.
Why Now, And Who Cares?
So why bundle these two features into a likely very expensive M6 MacBook Pro? It’s about modernization and market pressure. The Mac can’t afford to feel like it’s living in 2015 while the iPad Pro gets all the cool, connected features. Adding cellular and touch removes two easy checkboxes that PC manufacturers use against Apple. Will it convince hardcore iPad Pro users to switch back? For some, maybe. The author seems to think so. For the average user, touch might be the more noticeable daily addition. Cellular will remain a pro-tier luxury. Either way, 2026 is shaping up to be the year the Mac finally gets some features it probably should have had years ago. You can follow more of this rumor mill over on Twitter or YouTube. What do you think? Are these must-haves or just meh?
