After years of waiting, Apple has finally released its first touchscreen laptop on November 6, 2026, with its latest MacBook Pro model. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was notoriously opposed to touchscreen laptops, but the company hasn’t been afraid in recent years to step outside its typical ecosystem with various first-of-their-kind products. It was hard to imagine Apple would create a budget-friendly MacBook like the Neo, but here we are. We may also never have expected a foldable iPhone, but Apple just released its own earlier this Fall.

The new MacBook Pro comes with a hefty price tag, currently starting at $2,899, nearly $1,000 more than its previous model. But with the hype surrounding it, people may be willing to pay that amount. Now, this latest release raises the question: will we see future touchscreen MacBooks, or was this just a one-off? Regardless, going down a touchscreen MacBook Air route may not be the ideal direction for the company.

Why Apple shouldn’t rush a touchscreen MacBook Air

It could significantly impact future Air model sales

Whether it was Apple’s intent or not, the MacBook Air has become the lighter and, more importantly, more affordable version of the MacBook Pro, without sacrificing much performance. Earlier in March 2026, the latest MacBook Air was released, featuring the Apple M5 chip and a starting price of $1,299, $700 less than the latest M6 MacBook Pro non-touchscreen model.

While it doesn’t have the latest chip, this 2026 Air laptop can handle a decent amount of heavy video editing, AI production, and various other multitasking duties. Unless daily tasks involve constant work with large files and processing, or PC gaming, the Air can easily be a daily-driver laptop at home, at school, or in the office. There’s also the fact that it’s light and built for transportation, with a sturdy aluminum frame.

Creating a MacBook Air model with a touchscreen will likely raise the laptop’s price by at least $700, just like its Pro counterpart. Thus, spending over $2,000 on a MacBook Air may defeat the purpose of purchasing one in the first place, especially when at that point, you could likely purchase a MacBook Pro model for around the same price but get faster processing speeds and more power.

Is a touchscreen MacBook Air worth the risk?

Durability concerns could become an issue

Thinking about the MacBook Air and its design of having a slimmer body than both Pro and Neo models, it’s going to be more vulnerable to damage than those laptops. And adding a touchscreen creates an even bigger concern.

The MacBook Airs are also designed to stay cool despite their fanless design. Introducing an OLED touchscreen would raise concerns about internal heat. As of now, Apple has addressed this same concern on the touchscreen Pro models by redesigning the thermal system, according to the company.

We will have to wait and see whether that new system holds up when the device is pushed to its limits. Nonetheless, Apple would really have to prioritize this with a hypothetical touchscreen Air because it’s lighter and often has less thermal hardware than the Pro. Thus, we get back to the point: if the company had to redesign the Air’s thermal system, would that offset the lightweight design and the competitiveness that the laptops are known for?

There could be one potential route where Apple pushes for touchscreen MacBook Air laptops

It could involve the Neo models

I could see one scenario where Apple makes a further push for touchscreen Air and Pro models by upgrading the Neo. Having touchscreen laptops will raise prices compared to previous MacBook models, and prices were already rising due to supply costs and other tech market factors. But if that’s the case, Apple could bring some features from older Air and Pro models to future Neo generations.

The MacBook Neo currently uses the A18 Pro chip, the same chip as iPhones. However, it wouldn’t hurt if Apple implemented older M-chip models in future generations; that way, it could handle more processing and utilize more Apple software features without raising costs too much. Doing so would make the Neo a budget-friendly laptop, still potentially under $1,000, while Apple could further advance touchscreen technology in both the Air and Pro models.

It remains to be seen whether Apple will actually go through with a touchscreen MacBook Air. But as of now, the company should not push for one in March 2027 or even in 2028. Because if it rushes into high-end touchscreen MacBook models, it may compromise the MacBook Air’s value. There are already many different types of touchscreen devices Apple produces, including the iPad, iPhone, and now the MacBook Pro. The latest iPad Pros already compete with MacBook Airs in performance, and creating a touchscreen Air could further blur the lines. So if Apple wants to lean further into the touchscreen laptop space, don’t rush it.