Apple MacBook Neo second generation touch screen dream shattered, upgraded chip may become the biggest highlight

[ Gearbest Technology News]According to foreign media reports, the previously exposed plan for the second-generation Apple MacBook Neo to be equipped with a touch screen has been finalized and temporarily shelved.

On March 15, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman revealed in his “Power On” newsletter that Apple has not yet decided whether to introduce touch screen support for any Mac products except the next-generation high-end MacBook Pro. The next-generation high-end MacBook Pro is expected to be released in late 2026 or early 2027. Gurman further pointed out that the addition of a touch screen will slightly increase the production cost of the MacBook Neo, and the starting price of this notebook is only $499. Therefore, in order to maintain price competitiveness, Apple may continue to stick to a non-touch screen design in the next few years.

Looking back, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in September 2025 that the second-generation MacBook Neo “may” be equipped with a touch screen. However, by last week, he had changed his tune, saying that the feature “probably” wouldn't come to fruition. Now, Gurman's remarks completely rule out the possibility of introducing a touch screen on MacBook Neo in the near future. He bluntly said: “I would be very surprised if MacBook Neo is equipped with a touch screen in the next three years.”

Although the touch screen plan has been temporarily shelved, the release of the second-generation MacBook Neo is still worth looking forward to. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, this new product is expected to be officially unveiled next year. Its biggest upgrade highlight will be the A19 Pro chip and the memory increase from the current model’s 8GB to 12GB.