Apple may unveil a new premium laptop, the 'MacBook Ultra', this fall.

NineToFiveMac reported on June 24 that the product is being prepared to expand Apple's Ultra lineup, featuring a new design and functions distinct from the existing MacBook Pro.

The biggest change is expected to be the chassis design. Bloomberg mentioned that the new MacBook model amounts to a redesign of existing models and will be thinner and lighter than the current MacBook Pro. The product was initially seen as possibly launching as a newly designed MacBook Pro, but recent expectations are leaning toward it carrying the Ultra brand.

It is still unclear how far the thinner and lighter design will go. Some have raised the possibility that it may have fewer ports than the MacBook Pro, but there is also the view that Apple will not move excessively toward prioritising portability given the product's large share of professional users.

On performance, the M6 family of chips is central. Apple is expected to release the M6 lineup later this year, and the MacBook Ultra may be the first model to include it. The M6 generation is being developed based on a new 2-nanometre process, and several advances are expected along with the A20 Pro chip for iPhones.

A shift in input methods is also drawing attention. Touch support may be added to the Mac lineup, and the MacBook Ultra could be the first to get it. Mark Gurman reported that even if Apple adds touch to Macs, it will treat it as a 'secondary input method' rather than replacing the keyboard and trackpad. In line with that, macOS Golden Gate is expected to include control elements better suited for touch operation.

The display is also seen as a major turning point. The MacBook Ultra is expected to be the first Mac product to adopt OLED. OLED can provide clearer blacks, improved contrast and better side viewing angles.

The design around the front camera may also change. The notch introduced on the 2021 MacBook Pro could disappear, replaced by a punch-hole camera cutout. There is also the possibility that a Dynamic Island-like function similar to the iPhone could be added. With that function included, a new interface could become a central area for Siri AI, the report said.

On connectivity, the possibility of a cellular model remains. Apple has yet to release a Mac that supports cellular, but observers say changes could come in line with its in-house communications chip roadmap. Mark Gurman said in 2024 that he could not guarantee that Macs would get cellular that year, but timing could align if it coincides with the point when the iPhone 18 Pro adopts a C2 modem.

If these changes materialise, the MacBook Ultra could become a card that changes both how the Mac lineup is used and its product positioning. How Apple ties together a thinner design, touch input, OLED and a new interface while maintaining the MacBook Pro's professional work character is expected to be a key point to watch this fall.