Apple announces its first touchscreen MacBook Pro

Apple has announced its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, adding touch input to 14-inch and 16-inch laptops while retaining their keyboards and trackpads. The new models use tandem OLED displays marketed as PROLED XDR and M5 Pro or M5 Max chips. Apple says they will be available November 6, with starting prices of $2,899 for the 14-inch M5 Pro model and $3,399 for the 16-inch version. The announcement marks a change in Apple’s long-standing approach to Mac laptops, which have relied on keyboards and trackpads while touch remained a feature of devices such as the iPhone and iPad. The new screens let users tap, swipe, zoom and interact directly with applications. Apple has not described touch as a replacement for traditional input. Chief Executive John Ternus said the company waited until it could add touch without making the Mac heavier, thicker or worse in other respects. He said OLED technology helped Apple meet that standard. Hardware chief Johny Srouji said Apple redesigned the thermal system to keep the display comfortable to touch and adjusted the hinge to reduce wobble when users press the screen. The laptops run macOS, rather than an iPhone or iPad operating system. Apple...