Apple’s Touchscreen MacBook Pro Feels Surprisingly Normal
The touchscreen MacBook Pro has finally arrived. It looks like a stranger story than it turns out to be.
The Verge got hands-on time with the new model. Its reviewer says the surprise is how ordinary it feels. Both of Apple’s last two CEOs once argued such a laptop should not exist.
The screen is the real headline. Apple calls it the PROLED XDR Display, which is a clunky name. The Verge still ranks it among the nicest laptop panels it has seen, as The Verge reported.
Why normal is good news
Apple did not turn macOS into a tablet. Touch simply sits beside the trackpad and keyboard. That restraint matters for daily use.
Accessibility fans should pay attention. Touch gives people another way to tap, scroll and select. Not everyone finds a trackpad comfortable all day.
Still, impressions are not a full review. Battery life, fingerprint smudges and software polish need weeks of testing. For background, see our earlier explainer on Apple’s first touch Mac.
If you plan to pair it with a desk setup, a good laptop stand (paid link) is worth budgeting for. Touch makes screen cleanliness and stable positioning matter more.
OLED iPad Mini Benchmarks and Battery Details
Apple unveiled the iPad mini (2026) on Monday. It has an OLED screen and the A20 Pro chip. First units reach buyers on November 6.
GSMArena spotted a Geekbench 7 listing for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. It shows 3,879 points in single-core tests. Multi-core reached 9,870, according to GSMArena.
The chip has five cores. Two are performance cores, and three are efficiency cores. That is a modest layout for a small tablet.
A slightly smaller battery
Apple listed the battery at 18.9Wh but skipped the mAh figure. The EU’s EPREL database filled the gap. It shows 4,900 mAh for model A3596, GSMArena noted.
That trails the 2024 model’s 5,078 mAh cell. The gap is small. Still, OLED and a faster chip could shift real-world endurance either way.
Here is what I would watch:
- Screen-on time during video streaming.
- Standby drain on the cellular model.
- Heat during long gaming sessions.
iPhone Air 2 Leak Adds Detail
The iPhone Air 2 should launch next spring. Apple is expected to pair it with the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e.
Tipster Digital Chat Station shared the latest specs. They include a 6.55-inch flat OLED panel. The screen reportedly runs at 120Hz with 1.5K-plus resolution, per GSMArena.
Earlier rumors pointed to a slimmer body and dual rear cameras. Treat all of this with skepticism. Leaks shift, and thin phones often trade away battery life.
If you shoot a lot of photos, our look at iPhone imaging news adds useful context.
Smartphone Shipments Hit a 2013 Low
Omdia says global smartphone shipments fell 20 percent year on year in Q3 2026. Makers shipped 254.7 million units. That is the weakest third quarter since 2013.
Omdia blames rising prices. That matches what shoppers feel. People keep phones longer when upgrades cost more.
Samsung stayed the largest maker. It shipped 57.8 million units, down 5 percent, as GSMArena summarized.
What it means for buyers
Longer ownership makes software support more important. Check how many update years a phone gets. Battery replacement options matter too.
A sturdy case and a fresh battery can stretch a phone another year. A reliable phone case (paid link) helps protect that investment.
Takeaways by Budget and Ecosystem
The common thread is cost versus value. Apple keeps adding premium features. Buyers keep stretching their devices.
- Big budget: The touchscreen MacBook Pro suits creators who want OLED and touch.
- Mid budget: The OLED iPad mini looks strong for reading and travel.
- Tight budget: Skip the iPhone Air 2 hype and keep your current phone.
Wait for full reviews before you buy anything. Early numbers rarely tell the whole story.
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