apple is reportedly working on touchscreen MacBooks. Although the plans are not finalized, BloombergSources say that touch-compatible Apple laptops could arrive in 2025.
For a company that’s made sure to say touch is better in a product like the iPad, a touchscreen MacBook would be a big change, but don’t expect a radical departure from traditional Apple laptop design. The supposed touchscreen MacBook Pro would “probably” still run macOS and include a standard trackpad and keyboard. But, like Windows laptops and 2-in-1s, it would incorporate touches and gestures on the screen. The report says that Apple may expand touch input to include other Mac models over time, but it doesn’t currently plan to combine macOS and iPadOS. (One can assume that fear of cannibalizing iPad sales has been a factor in holding out this long.)
Additionally, the report reiterates that Apple is switching its Mac displays to OLED as part of a broader MacBook Pro review. Current Macs have LCD displays, while iPhones (except iPhone SE) and Apple Watches use OLED displays.
Apple released the Touch Bar in 2016 as a half-measure toward full touchscreen capabilities on MacBooks. The strip above the keyboard included system and in-app shortcuts, spelling suggestions, and other touch input. But it was never embraced by developers or Apple’s most loyal customers, and it was dropped from Apple’s 2021 MacBook Pro redesign.
While Steve Jobs’ insistence that touch screens don’t belong on Macs has been made much of, this wouldn’t be the first time the company has evolved in ways that go against the “gospel of Steve.” For example, he poked fun at big iPhones, small tablets, and iPad stylus pens; today, Apple will happily sell you an iPhone 14 Pro Max, an iPad mini, and an Apple Pencil. Although Jobs’ vision is deeply embedded in the company’s DNA, the world of computing has changed slightly since 2011.
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