Apple event LIVE: Touchscreen MacBook Pro, iPad mini, iMac and more
Every ‘Pro and Tell’ announcement as it happens.
2026 has proven to be a huge year for Apple. With the unprecedented success of the iPhone Duo and MacBook Neo, plus the small matter of the company’s 50th birthday, the last few months have certainly been, er, fruitful for Apple. And just because it can, the company is embarking on a victory lap.
Now that the dust has settled on the new iPhones, all eyes are turning to the Mac and iPad line ups. Apple has announced that it has a bunch of new products to reveal this week, all under the umbrella of an event named Pro and Tell.
We’re on our way to Los Angeles to find out exactly what Apple has in the oven for us, but in the meantime, Apple has already made one minor announcement. The new iPad mini is here, complete with OLED display and a new, thinner design. Oh, and a price hike – it now starts at $699.
We’ll be keeping this page updated with every announcement as it happens, as well as details about all the rumours.
What has Apple announced?
- The new iPad mini, with a thinner and lighter design, OLED display and the A20 Pro chip.
What else to expect
We're predicting (based on leaks) to see:
- A new OLED MacBook Pro, possibly with, for the first time ever a touchscreen display
- A new iMac, featuring the updated M6 chip
Apple deals this week
The iPhone Duo is reportedly folding under pressure
Multiple early users of the latest iPhone Duo model have reported faults already. But the most interesting part? There seems to be identical damage occurring, with the screen cracking in one very specific location: a thin crack down the centre hinge, and a line of stuck bright white pixels across the right side of the display.
The cause seems to be an area of concentrated components around the hinge, in a different shape from the rest of the hinge, possibly causing excess stress on the screen, as diagnosed by iFixit.
Would this put you off buying Apple's first foldable?
So, this whole big Apple unveil got me thinking... what cultural role does Apple perform these days? I remember when creatives were inspired by the company's marketing and eager to use its products... and although Apple is still the go-to tech company for many creatives, it seems less about being inspired to use the latest MacBook, and more about about the boring stuff, like how dependable the products are.
Looking at the numbers, financially Apple is a juggernaut, generating record profits and multi-trillion-dollar valuations in 2026. But that's come at the cost of transitioning from revolutionary tastemaker to dumpy conservative. Sure, it still commands loyalty, but it's more geared to managing consumer habits than inventing cool new things.
And really a touchscreen MacBook proves the point. Once dismissed by Steve Jobs as ergonomically unnatural, adopting it today shows Apple to be the pragmatic, market-driven iterator that I wish it wasn't. An Apple touchscreen laptop protects market share and feeds upgrade cycles, which of course is essential... But sadly it proves that modern Apple prioritises commercial efficiency over cultural disruption.
Bring me back to the days of the first iPhone.
A MacBook Air refresh could be coming in early 2027, will we get a tease of that at Apple's LA event?
If you can’t hold out until next year for a new, lighter laptop for creative work then read our guide to the 3 laptops graphic designers should consider, it's a good starting point, and so is our video on whether the MacBook Pro M5 is the best laptop for creatives.
You're here for the Apple rumours about the upcoming LA launch 'experience' kicking off Wednesday at 10 am PT (5 pm UK), so which rumours are leading the pack?
Well, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who usually gets these things right, expects 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with touch-enabled OLED screens, a Dynamic Island instead of the notch, and a lighter build.
Our take? We think so too, as reported in our article when we said Apple’s redesigned MacBook Pro can’t come soon enough. If you’re not sold on OLED for creative work, an OLED MacBook Pro is coming in 2026, but I predict disappointment.
So far, Apple has blessed us with a new iPad mini, but who's this dinky device best suited for?
Naturally, the mini is all about portability. Think of on-the-go professionals who need a travel companion for commuting. It's also a great fit for e-book readers and students who want a compact note-taking device. With its OLED screen and faster A20 Pro chip, it's a nice upgrade from previous models, making it great for cosy solo Netflix nights.
Check out our iPad generations guide to find your perfect match.
While we await anticipated new Apple releases this week, let's take a stroll down memory lane and digest some of the best Apple products ever that already exist (use the arrow to swipe through).
Which one is your favourite?
Wait! Who really wants a touchscreen MacBook?
Maybe it's because I never brought iPads into my workflow, but I'm finding it hard to see where this demand is coming from (and presumably, there is demand, if Apple is finally releasing after years of rumour).
As I recall, Apple resisted for so long on ergonomic grounds – and also, why mess with a winning formula?!
But maybe this explains more about where Apple is in 2026 than anything else. Because a move to a touchscreen laptop is clearly an attempt to court and flip users of devices like the Surface Pro, Surface Laptop and Lenovo Yogas, etc.
Or is it because Apple now has to cater to a mobile-first generation who demand touchscreens? Tell us below in the comments!
One of the most strongly rumoured launches for this week’s event is a brand new touchscreen MacBook. This is something Apple has resisted for a long time, and something that Steve Jobs was famously against.
"We've done tons of user testing on [a touchscreen MacBook], he announced on stage at the launch of the iPad in 2010, "and it turns out it doesn't work. Touch surfaces don't want to be vertical. After a short period of time you start to fatigue, and after an extended period of time your arm wants to fall off. It doesn't work, it's ergonomically terrible."
So there we have it. "Ergonomically terrible." "Doesn't work." It seems safe to say Jobs wasn't a fan of the idea in 2010. But what about today? Time will tell if Apple manages to make the whole thing work.
Hello and welcome to Creative Bloq’s live coverage of this week’s Apple announcements! We’re expecting big things this week, but Apple has already announced something little: the new iPad mini.
The main upgrades are:
- A20 Pro – (as used in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo)
- 8.5-inch OLED Super Retina display with nano-texture glass option.
- Thinner and lighter, at 5.4mm thick
- 12MP Centre Stage front camera now on horizontal edge
- Compatible with Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C).
