Many buyers have delayed upgrading their laptops because of rumors about a new MacBook coming later this year. The rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro has generated significant excitement, with reports suggesting it will feature an OLED display, a Dynamic Island cutout, and the first-ever touch input on a Mac. However, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman now warns that a global memory shortage could push that release timeline back.
Gurman had earlier suggested a launch window between late 2026 and early 2027. In his latest Power On newsletter, he now indicates the later end of that range is becoming more likely. Early 2027 appears increasingly probable, while a fall 2026 introduction seems less certain. The main issue driving the delay is constrained supply of memory components, which affects Apple’s production schedule for high-memory configurations.
The Mac Studio Is Caught Up in This Too
It’s not only the touchscreen MacBook Pro that could be impacted. The Mac Studio, which many expected to arrive around mid-2026 and some observers even pegged for a WWDC reveal in June, now looks likely to ship later in the year. According to Gurman’s reporting, Apple’s internal timeline has shifted toward an October release for the updated Mac Studio.
This is a meaningful setback for a product that has become Apple’s most powerful desktop option. Earlier this year Apple discontinued the Mac Pro without announcing a direct replacement, leaving the Mac Studio as the top-of-the-line desktop in Apple’s lineup. That makes any delay more noticeable for professionals who rely on the highest-performance Mac hardware for demanding workflows.
The shortage is largely driven by surging demand from AI data centers. Companies building infrastructure for large language models and other AI workloads are purchasing vast quantities of high-capacity RAM, which has tightened global supply for memory chips. That pressure affects consumer and professional products alike. Macs are particularly exposed because Apple’s unified memory configurations often demand larger memory capacities than typical consumer PCs, and high-memory Mac Studio builds have recently shown extended shipping estimates as evidence of that strain.
On the software side, Apple appears to be keeping to its planned schedule. macOS 27 is still expected to introduce touch-friendly interface enhancements this fall, which would prepare the operating system for touch-enabled hardware. If the software timeline holds, the main uncertainty will remain the hardware supply side. For buyers deciding between purchasing an M5 MacBook Pro now or waiting for a touchscreen model, these developments complicate the choice: the new hardware may arrive later than hoped, while current models remain available and supported.
For professionals and enthusiasts watching Apple’s roadmap, the memory shortage and its knock-on effects highlight how closely hardware launches are tied to component availability. If demand from AI infrastructure continues to grow, Apple and other manufacturers may need to adjust product timelines or inventory strategies to manage constrained memory supply. In the meantime, consumers weighing an immediate purchase against waiting for the next-generation Mac should consider current availability, software improvements coming with macOS 27, and the possibility that highly configured models could remain in short supply well into 2027.