Apple has just unveiled the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR, its first MacBook with a touchscreen. While Apple already added a handful of touch optimizations to macOS 27 Golden Gate earlier this year, a number of new optimizations were also revealed alongside the new MacBook Pro. Here’s what Apple has been working on.
Enlarged traffic light icons
With the new touchscreen MacBook Pro, the traffic light icons at the top left of an app window enlarge when you tap them, making the touch targets a bit larger.
On-screen gestures
Gestures that you can normally perform on the trackpad can also be performed on the screen. Whether it’s a three-finger swipe up for mission control, a three-finger swipe to change spaces, a pinch to zoom, or a scroll through a web page. You can also access Spotlight from Dynamic Island, the same way iPhones handle it on iOS 27.
iOS simulator
If you’re an app developer, you’ll really appreciate this change: with the new MacBook Pro, you can navigate the iOS simulator entirely with touch. No need to try to replicate touch gestures on a trackpad.
When you interact with a context menu in the menu bar, each of the items in a menu will become a little larger when touched. Additionally, most optimized apps will have larger touch targets, even if the buttons don’t necessarily look bigger.
Conclude
Overall, there are already a handful of optimizations in macOS 27 Golden Gate for the touchscreen MacBook Pro. In addition to what was named here, Apple also added a refresh feature in Safari and slightly larger spacing between menu bar items on all Macs with macOS 27.
Apple also says there’s more coming to the Mac when it comes to touch optimization, so we’ll likely see a lot more at the next WWDC.
What do you think of touch support on the new MacBook Pro? Are you looking forward to seeing this trickle down to all Macs? Let us know in the comments.
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