Apple has a new MacBook Ultra rumored to launch this fall as part of its expanding ‘Ultra’ lineup. Here are six new features expected with the MacBook Ultra.
#1: New design that’s thinner, lighter than MacBook Pro
Bloomberg says Apple’s new MacBook model is a “total redesign” that’s thinner and lighter than the current MacBook Pro.
MacBook Ultra was originally expected to launch under the MacBook Pro branding, but with an all-new design. It’s always possible that could still happen, but current rumors point to ‘Ultra’ branding.
We don’t know if ports will be reduced compared to MacBook Pro, but that’s very possible. I’d be surprised if Apple pushed the ‘thin, light’ angle too far though, as MacBook Ultra will likely attract a lot of Pro users.
#2: M5 Pro and M5 Max chips
A new family of M6 chips was long expected to debut in the MacBook Ultra. But rumors this week have changed that.
Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reported that Apple has scrapped plans for M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, and instead is accelerating developing of high-end M7 chips.
As a result, while a future MacBook Ultra will have those M7 chips, this year’s model will reportedly stick with the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips from the MacBook Pro.
#3: Touchscreen, the first in a Mac
The Mac is getting touch support. And the MacBook Ultra will be the first model with a touchscreen.
Per Mark Gurman, Apple is adding touch to the Mac as a secondary input method—not a replacement for keyboard and trackpad.
macOS Golden Gate comes with several optimizations to provide more touch-friendly controls that also work well for anyone without a touch screen.
#4: OLED display
Every iPhone now has an OLED display, and the iPad Pro gained a gorgeous tandem OLED in 2024 too. But the Mac has been an outlier—until now.
The MacBook Ultra is set to adopt OLED, the first Mac to feature the display technology.
OLED should enable truer blacks, better contrast, and better off-angle viewing. It could also help MacBook Ultra get better battery life.
#5: Dynamic Island
The 2021 MacBook Pro was the first Mac to gain a notch, but MacBook Ultra is set to eliminate it.
Instead of a notch, the new MacBook Ultra is expected to have a hole-punch camera cutout and gain a new software feature: the Dynamic Island.
Like on the iPhone, the Dynamic Island will serve both to mask the camera cutout via software, and also provide new utility in macOS—including being the home for Siri AI.
Wildcard #6: Cellular option possible with C2 modem
Apple has yet to offer a cellular-equipped Mac. But rumors indicate that might be changing soon.
In a late 2024 report on Apple’s in-house cellular modem plans, Mark Gurman wrote:
Apple is investigating the idea of bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac for the first time…But cellular connections are unlikely to come to the Mac before 2026, when Apple is planning a second-generation modem that includes support for faster speeds.
There’s certainly no guarantee that this is the year the Mac gains cellular. But with Apple’s C2 modem coming to iPhone 18 Pro around the same time, the timing could be right.
Which new MacBook Ultra features are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.
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