Apple Launching Touchscreen MacBook This Week, An Idea Steve Jobs Once Called ‘Ergonomically Terrible’

Apple is expected to launch its first touchscreen MacBook Pro this week (October 28 to be exact). But it is also a device that was once called 'ergonomically terrible’ by its co-founder Steve Jobs. So why did Apple make a U-Turn on this decision and does a Touchscreen MacBook really make sense? Read on.

'It doesn't work': Steve Jobs On Touchscreen Laptops

At Apple's Back to the Mac event in 2010, Jobs put forward an argument that made sense to most of us at the time. He said that when you use a touchscreen phone, you can hold it in your hands. When you use a tablet, you can rest it on your lap or a desk, or adjust its position to suit what you are doing.

A laptop, however, places its display upright while your hands remain on the keyboard. And that means repeatedly lifting your arm to tap, swipe or select something on the screen.

Jobs believed this would become tiring during continuous use. He also argued that touchscreens worked best horizontally.

Watch the old video here:

Why Is Apple Changing Its Mind Now?

With the touchscreen MacBooks, Apple may be looking to give users another way to interact with macOS. (And Windows have had touchscreens on their devices for years...)

Reports suggest that the upcoming MacBook Pro could feature an OLED touchscreen, with Apple making changes to macOS to accommodate touch input. However, the precise implementation and supported gestures will be confirmed when the laptop is unveiled.

Now some of you might be wondering if Apple is abandoning Jobs' vision in some way with this decision. The answer is, not really.

Jobs' criticism was based on how people interacted with touchscreen computers at the time. It was not a universal rule that touch input could never work on a laptop.

Technology changes, software evolves and user expectations shift. Apple itself has changed its approach to products over the years. A decision that made sense in 2010 does not really have to remain the right decision in 2026.

That does not mean Jobs was wrong, either. The discomfort he described remains a valid concern, especially for people who might be tempted to use the touchscreen for everything. A new feature does not become useful simply because it is new.

Do we need a touchscreen MacBook?

So do we absolutely need a touchscreen MacBook? Probably not. But will people want one when it arrives in the market? Probably yes.

Also, a touchscreen MacBook doesn’t need to make the trackpad obsolete to justify its existence. The two can be useful in different scenarios.

The keyboard and trackpad on my MacBook are essential for the kind of work laptops are built for, whether that means writing articles, editing images or managing dozens of browser tabs.

But then, I can also see myself using a touchscreen for smaller, occasional tasks. Tapping a video timeline, scrolling through a long webpage, selecting a tool in an editing application or quickly navigating a menu could be convenient. The important thing is that these actions should feel natural rather than forcing users to change habits that already work.

Apple Should Go Beyond A Touchscreen MacBook

In my opinion, it is high time Apple gave us a touchscreen MacBook (with a gorgeous OLED display). Windows laptops have offered touch input for years, and when implemented well, it can be actually useful. However, I think Apple could do something even better.

Rather than simply adding a touchscreen to a conventional MacBook, I would love to see a 360-degree convertible MacBook with Apple Pencil support. Imagine having a full-fledged Mac for work that can fold into a tablet whenever you want to sketch, take handwritten notes, annotate documents or watch a film.

This would also make the MacBook and iPad combination less necessary for some users. Instead of carrying two devices, you could have one machine that handles professional work with macOS and doubles as a tablet when needed.

Of course, Apple would need to get the software right. Tablet mode should feel natural, the Apple Pencil should work seamlessly, and the device should not compromise on the keyboard and trackpad experience. A convertible MacBook would also need to be light enough to use comfortably as a tablet.

I realise this is a bigger ask than simply putting a touchscreen on a MacBook Pro. But Apple already has experience building MacBooks, iPads, OLED displays and the Apple Pencil. Bringing these technologies together in one versatile device could make for a far more interesting product than a conventional laptop with touch input.

For now, reports suggest Apple is preparing a regular touchscreen MacBook Pro rather than a 360-degree convertible. Even so, I hope this is just the beginning. If Apple is finally willing to rethink its stance on touchscreen Macs, why just stop at the screen?