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Apple may finally fix the worst things about the MacBook Pro

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Someone using a MacBook Pro M4.
Chris Hagan / Digital Trends

Future MacBook Pro models may trade in Apple’s now signature notch design for a hole-punch camera motif.

A component road map from research firm Omdia details that Apple has plans to make changes to the display of its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that will be released in 2026.

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MacRumors noted that it is still unknown whether Apple would bring its Dynamic Island feature, which is popular on the iPhone line, to the MacBook Pro series. The feature allows the notification tab to expand and show necessary icons when a user needs them; otherwise, only the camera module is visible. Even without Dynamic Island, the hole-punch design may include some benefits, such as added space for the MacBook Pro menu bar and an uninterrupted aesthetic. The road map also includes the MacBook Air, which will maintain its notch until at least 2028.

Omdia’s road map aligns with prior reports that suggest Apple has plans for a major design overhaul of its MacBook Pro line in 2026, when the brand could introduce an OLED display to its professional laptops. The 2026 major refresh would be the first since 2021, when Apple notably introduced the notch to the MacBook Pro as a housing area for its 1080p webcam. Now, reports indicate the OLED display may support the laptop having a thinner chassis. It is also expected to have a high-performance M6 chip based on the 2nm process.

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The current M4 series MacBook Pro features a mini-LED display. Meanwhile, next year’s M5 MacBook Pro is also expected to maintain similar specifications, with slight upgrades that have analysts suggesting consumers wait for Apple’s 2026 laptop model before upgrading.

Many experts are certain that Apple’s OLED MacBook Pro is on the way, but it’s just a matter of timing. OLED displays are known for improved performance, color, and energy efficiency. This display type is also an increasingly popular option across the computing industry. Never one to recklessly follow the crowd, it makes sense that Apple wouldn’t introduce its own OLED display until the component itself was a staple feature in the industry.

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Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh
Computing Writer
Fionna Agomuoh is a Computing Writer at Digital Trends. She covers a range of topics in the computing space, including…
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