Another report says Apple will kill the Touch Bar in the new MacBook Pro

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13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar close up
13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar close up (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • A new report says that Apple will drop the Touch Bar in the new MacBook Pro models.
  • The report also expects tablets to pass Touch Bars in terms of OLED application.

New insights from supply chain analysts are corroborating earlier rumors that Apple may finally ditch the Touch Bar when it announces the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

A new report from Display Supply Chain Consultants, which went over the current trends when it comes to OLED displays in the technology market, says that Touch Bars are currently the #3 application of OLED behind smartphones and smartwatches.

While Touch Bars are currently #3 in market share, DSCC expects tablets to take over that spot. Apple is rumored to be bringing OLED to both iPad Air and iPad Pro models starting in 2022.

Apple will launch two new models of iPads that use OLED panels in 2023, TheElec has learned.Cupertino will launch its first ever OLED iPad in 2022. The tablet will sport a 10.86-inch OLED screen. Samsung Display will be the sole supplier of the OLED panels.The following year, in 2023, Apple is planning to launch an 11-inch OLED iPad and a 12.9-inch OLED iPad.

While OLED may be coming to the iPad, it sounds like it is being dropped in the MacBook Pro - at least when it comes to the Touch Bar. The report corroborates earlier rumors that Apple will drop the Touch Bar in favor of the traditional function keys in the new MacBook Pro models.

Touch Bars continue to be the #3 application with a 18% unit share and 1.2% revenue share in Q1'21. We expect Touch Bars to be exceeded by tablets when Apple starts the adoption of the 10.9" AMOLED iPad. Further, our sources suggest that Apple may cancel the Touch Bar in the future.

A new report says that Apple could announce the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models alongside the iPhone 13 this fall. Regardless of when they do come out, it's becoming more likely that we'll all be saying goodbye to the Touch Bar.

If you love the Touch Bar and want to make sure you grab a Mac that has it before it disappears, check out our list of the Best MacBook in 2021.

Joe Wituschek
Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.