Apple readies major updates with OLED MacBook Pro and iPhone Fold

This year, Apple might introduce one of its most significant updates to the MacBook Pro, featuring an OLED touchscreen. At the same time, the anticipated iPhone Fold will bring a tablet-sized display to Apple's flagship phone for the first time, marking a major change in their product lineup.

For years, Apple avoided copying iPad features on other devices. The iPad Pro can mimic a MacBook thanks to its M-series chip, Magic Keyboard, and iPadOS 26, but other Apple products haven't matched its capabilities. The iPhone is too small, and Macs are too keyboard-focused.

However, as Apple’s laptops and tablets have evolved, they now seem to be heading toward a convergence. Behind the scenes, Apple appears to be shifting its strategy, with iPads and MacBooks increasingly sharing hardware and software features. In a few generations, they could even become a single product.

Just as the iPhone displaced the iPod, the upcoming touchscreen Apple products seem to be starting the process of phasing out the iPad.

In recent years, iPads have gained laptop-like features, allowing users to use them as hybrid desktops. The iPad Pro now sports the latest M5 chip, a landscape front camera, and support for the Magic Keyboard with a trackpad. The next model might include advanced thermal management for demanding tasks.

Meanwhile, the redesigned MacBook Pro is expected to be thinner and feature an OLED touchscreen, bringing its form closer to an iPad Pro. Reports also suggest Apple is testing MacBooks with 5G connectivity, which could mean a built-in cellular modem in the new models.

Hardware-wise, both devices are becoming very similar. But the key difference remains in software. iPadOS 26 has incorporated many macOS features, like a cursor, menu bar, flexible windows, and support for desktop-class apps. Still, it’s a mobile OS that doesn’t support sideloading apps or advanced file management.

The upcoming touchscreen MacBook Pro will reportedly offer a UI that adapts dynamically to input method, with larger buttons when tapped and a traditional look when using a mouse or trackpad. This signals a move toward closer integration of hardware and software, blurring the lines between tablets and laptops in Apple’s ecosystem.