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Apple No Longer Sells a MacBook Pro Without a Touch Bar

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With the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro being refreshed with a Touch Bar and other new features today, Apple no longer sells a MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar in its current lineup. In other words, it is no longer possible to buy a new MacBook Pro with a physical escape key directly from Apple.

macbook-pro-w-touch-bar.jpg

The Touch Bar has been a controversial feature since its debut on the 15-inch MacBook Pro in October 2016, with some critics describing it as a gimmick. The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro was until now a way around the Touch Bar, with its physical escape key earning it the nickname of "MacBook Escape."

A physical escape key remains available on MacBook Air models.

Article Link: Apple No Longer Sells a MacBook Pro Without a Touch Bar
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/07/09/rip-macbook-escape/
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I expect them to eventually drop the Touchbar itself, but this move is to help juice sales.

Like I said in the previous MacBook discontinue thread, it looks like someone at Apple is taking charge and bringing back some sanity to the product lineup.

I don’t know about you, but it looks like the past few years of chaos in the product line were due to Jony Ive.

Now that he is basically on his way out, they are restoring some sensibility.

Really great to see some simplicity.
 
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I like the idea of the touch bar, but would never want to give up a physical escape key. Maybe they could keep it symmetric with escape on the left, power/touchID on right, and touch bar in between?

Reminds me of Honda going full touch screen on their infotainment, but everyone clamored for a volume knob, so they brought it back along with a tuner knob on the other side as well, and the result is a pretty nice system.
 
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Just when we thought Apple had started listening to its customers again, and there was hope for the Mac and apple’s portable line, they do this.

And still no replacement for the butterfly keyboard.

Is there really a truth-to-power problem at Apple? Or, can the leaders not see past spreadsheets to market and customer sentiment/
 
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Kabeyun said:
Please explain. When dual booting Windows in Boot Camp, the Touch Bar defaults to function keys. And if for some reason yours doesn’t, set it to. Are you looking for something else?
Click to expand...

yeah but like, once you see the digital function keys in windows, then voila...thats it. No benefit over physical keyboard anymore...I believe that's his point. And maybe this isn't a big deal for you, that's cool. But there actually is a fair bit of software out there that uses the fn keys...I use CAD software pretty heavily and I tried it on a touchbar but it really slowed me down. Always have to look down from the screen to see where the desired button is. I like the physical feedback of the edge of the key. Solution for me is an external keyboard that I put on top of my laptop. Which annoys.
 
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asdavis10 said:
Bad form, Apple. Touch Bar is mostly a gimmick. It's nice at times, but for those who use Windows on their Mac, it's completely useless. This is about driving up ASPs. Bad form. And I'm a shareholder. Also, I'm Typing this from my 13" MBP sans Touch Bar.
Click to expand...

I'm a technician and an IT specialist, Touch Bar is super handy with VMware Fusion for example, for creating Automator shortcut. F keys are there just with a press of a key, but 99% F keys are useless.
 
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I’m on board with this for the sole reason it should eventually stop podcasters & vloggers from speaking the ugly ‘nickname’ “MacBook Escape” every other sentence as if it’s some official designation :rolleyes:.
 
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BWhaler said:
And still no replacement for the butterfly keyboard.

I had 2016, 2017 and now 2018 MacBook Pro without failing keys. People are falling into paranoia, beside that 2019 Macs have newer version. But for sure someone will say that will fail too after eating some sandwich on the keyboard.
Click to expand...
 
bladerunner2000 said:
Good. The touch bar is a gimmick.

Now sell a MacBook with a decent keyboard.
Click to expand...

So it’s good that they no longer sell a MacBook without this gimmick? In other words, they all will now have a Touch Bar.

Rumor has it that a new scissor switch keyboard will be released with the next Air refresh.
 
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