Apple's latest macOS 27.2 beta references new touch gestures for Safari and Notes, meaning we're in for a neat Sidecar upgrade, a touchscreen MacBook Pro, or both.
While rumors of a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen go back years, it looks as though the device is finally nearing release. Monday's macOS 27.2 beta indicates that multiple system applications will receive additional touch recognition capabilities.
As MacRumors points out, the Notes app supports a feature dubbed "ICTouchPressGestureRecognizer," while QuickLook gained a "dragTouch" capability. Safari, meanwhile, was updated with a "touch sentinel recognizer," though these capabilities are only referenced in the software code.
As for the intended purpose of these upcoming upgrades, and whether Apple is looking to enhance Sidecar or to introduce a touchscreen laptop, the answer is most likely both.
The code references to gestures in Monday's macOS developer beta could benefit both Sidecar and the long-rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro. If implemented, these app-specific touch gestures would simply be the latest example of a single Apple development pipeline benefiting another.
Simply put, Apple would kill two birds with one stone by refining more touch support in select Mac apps. macOS Golden Gate has already brought touchscreen support to Sidecar, letting users control a Mac with an iPad.
While it remains to be seen exactly how these new touch gestures will work, we'll find out soon enough. Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro is rumored to debut in October or November 2026, which means it could ship with macOS 27.2 or later.
