Apple Introduces Its First Touchscreen MacBooks - Company Shifts Years-Long Laptop Strategy

Apple's CEO, John Ternus, unveiled the company's first touchscreen MacBooks on Wednesday. With this move, Apple is abandoning the approach it had maintained for years, according to which touchscreens were not necessary for laptops.

At an event held in Los Angeles, Ternus showcased the new MacBook Pro, which features an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. The company's chief focused on the screen's contrast, sharpness, and brightness. He also stated that Apple plans to bring back the glowing logo on the back of its laptops.

The presentation is part of a series of new product launches that followed Ternus's appointment as head of Apple. In September, the company introduced the foldable iPhone Duo, and this month, a smart home control device.

The release of touchscreen MacBooks represents a strategic shift for Apple. Company co-founder Steve Jobs considered touchscreens on laptops ergonomically awkward as far back as 2010. In 2012, then-CEO Tim Cook compared such devices to combining a toaster and a refrigerator.

Even Ternus, before being appointed head of Apple, argued that the company already had touchscreen computers in the form of the iPad. However, touchscreens have been available on Windows-based laptops for more than a decade, and users accustomed to smartphones and tablets expect similar capabilities on laptops as well.

According to analysts, Apple's decision reflects a shift in customer expectations. The key question now is how well customers will embrace the new feature and whether it can give an additional boost to MacBook sales.

According to Apple, pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro began on Wednesday, with sales starting on November 6. The 14-inch model with the M5 Pro chip will start at $2,899, while the most powerful configuration of the 16-inch version, with the M5 Max chip, will start at $4,799. The new 16-inch model is 0.7 pounds lighter than the previous, non-touchscreen version.