Two days before Apple's "Pro and tell" event, one question about the redesigned MacBook Pro is still unanswered: will it connect to the internet on its own? A fresh report on October 26, 2026, revisits the long-running cellular-Mac rumour — Apple has reportedly tested MacBook Pros with its own modems, but no leak has confirmed cellular for this week's models, and none has ruled it out either. If the answer is yes, it would be the first cellular MacBook Pro; if it is no, the October 28 machine is still a major redesign, just one that keeps tethering to your phone.
Key takeaways
- Apple's "Pro and tell" experience is reported for October 28 in Los Angeles; Apple has confirmed the event, not the products.
- The redesigned MacBook Pro is reported in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes with an OLED touchscreen, a Dynamic Island, a lighter chassis, and the current M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.
- The new question, raised by 9to5Mac on October 26, 2026: will it offer cellular, most likely via Apple's C2 modem?
- The evidence is circumstantial but real: Bloomberg reported in 2024 that Apple was investigating cellular MacBooks for as early as 2026, and Macworld reported testing of an M5 Pro MacBook Pro with Apple's C1 modem.
- No substantive cellular leak has surfaced since, and none has ruled cellular out — so the honest status is "unconfirmed, days from resolution."
- Pricing verified as of Q4 2026 (current-model list prices only; the new model's price is reported, not confirmed by Apple).
What changed in the last 24 hours
On October 26, 2026, 9to5Mac published a direct question rather than a new leak: will Apple's overhauled MacBook Pro finally offer 5G cellular support? The piece pulls together the existing hints — Bloomberg's 2024 report that Apple was investigating cellular MacBooks for as early as 2026, and Macworld's report from last year that Apple was testing M5 Pro-based MacBook Pro configurations with its C1 modem — and notes the key gap: since then, there have been no substantive leaks about cellular in the MacBook Pro line, in either direction.
That same weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, via his Power On newsletter on October 25, 2026 (as reported by MacRumors the same day), restated the rest of the package: 14-inch and 16-inch models that look similar to today's machines but weigh less, with a Dynamic Island replacing the notch, and the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips rather than a new generation. Gurman also described macOS Golden Gate's "dynamic interface" for touch — controls that adapt depending on whether you last touched the screen or used the trackpad, with menus appearing around your finger and a touch-optimised Dock and menu bar. The once-rumoured "MacBook Ultra" name appears to be off the table: the machines are expected to keep the MacBook Pro name.
So the October 28 story now has two layers. The display, design and software changes are well reported. The connectivity question — the one that would change how the machine is actually used away from a desk — is still open.
The case for cellular
The argument is straightforward, and it is the same one iPad owners have lived with for years: a laptop that connects itself is a different tool from a laptop that borrows your phone's connection. Tethering works, but it drains the phone, drops at awkward moments, and adds a step every time you open the lid somewhere without Wi-Fi. A built-in modem removes that friction, which matters most to the exact buyers a MacBook Pro targets — people who edit, present and ship work from airports, client offices and cafés.
The modem in question, per 9to5Mac, would likely be Apple's C2 — the modem reported in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo. That matters because it would mean Apple is not buying this capability from a third party; it is reusing silicon it already ships at iPhone scale. The earlier testing clue points the same way: Macworld's reported M5 Pro test machine used Apple's first modem, the C1, and the machines expected this week are reported to use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. The pieces fit together neatly — which is precisely why they should be treated as a plausible pattern, not as confirmation.
The case against — or at least, the case for caution
Fitting together neatly is not the same as shipping. Apple has investigated cellular Macs before without releasing one, and the absence of a recent leak cuts both ways: a feature this consequential would usually leave more traces by now, yet the same reporting notes that nothing has explicitly ruled it out either. There are also real trade-offs Apple would have to accept: a cellular model needs a carrier plan, an antenna design that does not compromise the thinner, lighter chassis, and a price that makes sense on top of an already premium machine. The new models are already reported to cost up to $500 more than today's, on the strength of the OLED panel alone.
And there is a simpler explanation for the silence: cellular may be planned for a later MacBook Pro, not this one. Gurman's 2024 report pointed to 2026 as the earliest window, not as a promise for this specific launch. Treating "Apple is investigating cellular" as "this MacBook Pro has cellular" would be exactly the kind of leap this article is written to avoid.
Reported vs. current MacBook Pro
| Item | Reported new model | Current MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Display | OLED touchscreen (reported) | Mini-LED, no touch |
| Camera cutout | Dynamic Island (reported) | Notch |
| Chassis | Lighter, similar look (reported) | Current design |
| Chips | M5 Pro / M5 Max (reported) | M5 Pro / M5 Max |
| Cellular | Unconfirmed — C2 possible (reported) | None |
| Starting price | Up to $500 above current (reported) | $2,499 (14-inch) / $2,999 (16-inch) |
| Current models' fate | Stay on sale for now (reported) | — |
Pricing verified as of Q4 2026. Current-model prices are Apple's list prices as reported by MacRumors on October 25, 2026; the new model's premium is a reported estimate, not an Apple price.
What else is expected on October 28
The MacBook Pro is reported to headline, not fill, the event. Also expected, per the same reporting: an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip in the current design, a 24-inch iMac with M6, and an OLED iPad mini. That lineup split is worth noting for cellular watchers: if a cellular Mac appears anywhere, the redesigned Pro is the natural home for it, not the entry-level model — but again, that is reasoning, not reporting.
Verdict: who should care, and who should wait two days
- If you work away from Wi-Fi constantly and hate tethering: this is the one October 28 detail worth waiting for. A cellular Pro changes your daily workflow; an OLED touchscreen alone probably does not. Wait the two days, and do not pre-order on the assumption.
- If you mostly work at a desk or on reliable Wi-Fi: cellular should not drive your decision. Judge the October 28 machine on its screen, weight and price — and remember the current mini-LED models are reported to stay on sale for now, which may mean discounts.
- If you were about to buy a current MacBook Pro this week: wait until October 28 regardless. Two days buys you certainty on chips, price, cellular and the fate of the current line, and certainty is the one thing no rumour can offer.
- If you need a cellular laptop today: do not wait on a rumour. Buy a machine with cellular already confirmed, or budget for a dedicated hotspot, rather than betting a work purchase on an unconfirmed modem.
FAQ
1. Is the new MacBook Pro confirmed to have 5G?
No. Cellular support is unconfirmed. 9to5Mac raised the question on October 26, 2026, based on earlier modem-testing reports, but no leak has confirmed cellular for the October 28 models.
2. Which modem would it use?
If Apple ships cellular, 9to5Mac says it would likely use the C2 modem, as reported in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo. That is a report, not an Apple specification.
3. Has Apple tested a cellular MacBook Pro before?
According to the reports cited by 9to5Mac: Bloomberg reported in 2024 that Apple was investigating cellular MacBooks for as early as 2026, and Macworld reported testing of an M5 Pro MacBook Pro with Apple's C1 modem. Testing is not a product announcement.
4. When will we know for sure?
At Apple's "Pro and tell" experience on October 28 in Los Angeles, where the redesigned MacBook Pro is reported to be unveiled. Apple has not confirmed any product for the event.
5. How much will the new MacBook Pro cost?
Unconfirmed. MacRumors, reporting Gurman on October 25, 2026, says starting prices could be up to $500 above the current $2,499 (14-inch) and $2,999 (16-inch) models. Pricing verified as of Q4 2026 for current models only.
Sources
9to5Mac, "Will Apple's overhauled MacBook Pro finally offer 5G cellular support?", October 26, 2026; MacRumors, "Apple Reportedly Announcing New MacBook Pro With OLED Touchscreen on Wednesday," October 25, 2026; Dataconomy, "Apple May Unveil Touchscreen MacBook Pros On October 28," October 26, 2026. This article is a follow-up to the Smart Gear desk's October 24, 2026 piece on the same redesigned MacBook Pro, which covered the reported lack of a performance boost; the new material here is the cellular question and the October 25–26 Power On updates.
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