Apple Says Touchscreen Macs 'Not a Particularly Useful or Appropriate Application of Multi-Touch'

[brianvictor7]

Two years of "innovation" for a touch bar that is not even on every model? I think it's time for apple to hire some new designers. Maybe they could've just spent more time on things that matter like a magsafe usb-c connector and an updated macbook air with a retina display.

This makes sense to phase the Touchbar in. Like with the new butterfly keyboard, they needed to test it with the consumer. Have you had a chance to try the new MacBook Pro? I did yesterday and was very impressed by the improved responsiveness they made over the non-pro MacBook keyboard.

 

[niun]

But even in that case the UI problem is still there (I don't know how well this issue is taken care of by the Sufrace Studio and it's (third party) apps.)

You do realise that a LOT of software and apps are now optimised for touch input right.. I mean.. it's not like its a new thing.

 

[LimerickRunner]

I think Apple is missing the big picture, people expect, and want touch screens. I find it useful on my Surface Book and have when I owned Surface Pros.

I know the touchbar is Apple's answer to touchscreens but I think touch screens offer more flexibility and options - just my $.02

Meh.. I have surface devices and when I just want to chill out I grab my iPad Pro, when I want to do some productive work I do it on my pc or Mac, when I'm in that mode I rarely use touch.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Ok. But I want that huge trackpad to become an oled screen with pen-pinapple-apple-pencil support.

 

[BeSweeet]

Touch screen's on notebooks are confusing and out of place, it just does not work.

The screen itself isn't sturdy and the whole experience just feels entirely wrong. Just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean you should; touch screens on Mac's are one of them.

How many touchscreen computers have you used and for how long?

 

[mollyc]

You can already use touch with Lightroom by using the iOS or Android apps. It seems to work quite well once you accept that it syncs via adobe. i.e. your pictures sync up to the Adobe cloud and then to the iPad and back again after the work has been finished. Going back is quicker because only the changes are sent back to the Lightroom host PC/Mac. The principle of non destructive editing that Adobe has used with Lightroom makes this easy.
Personally, I'l prefer to use the ipad just as an input device to tools like Lightroom that are running on my Mac and displayed on a 4K or 5K screen. Even so, the mouse seems to be a more appropriate tool than touch.

I find syncing quite clunky with Adobe (it takes days for three photos to show up from my phone to my computer and I can't figure out how to force sync it) and I'd much rather edit photos on my 27" iMac with my wacom tablet than with my finger on a phone.

I get that a lot of people now have larger iPad Pros and are quite happy to work there for edits, but my primary cameras are Nikon full frame cameras and it's easier and faster for me to upload those to my computer and edit there. Not on the go. (I don't go anywhere.) I value precision editing by 100% resolution and seeing large portions of the photo on a large screen over the chance that I might do a quick edit while my kids are at sports practices.

 

[mtcowdog]

If the surface line ran MacOS, the Appleverse would be singing praises of its innovation, and we would have Ive videos telling us how magical the whole thing is. I have no idea why Apple is hanging on to the past so tightly with the Mac. I hold my iPad Pro in all sorts of awkward positions and use the touch screen. Smart designs can overcome the ergonomic issues. And even when we have a touch screen, we still have a keyboard and mouse, right? Adding ways to interface with our computers seems like the future. Touch is clearly one of them. Honestly, my opinion is that Mac is no longer a priority for Apple. I don't know why.

 

[az431]

Ive, you and Cook need to go...

Yes, because since Cook has been in charge Apple's revenue has grown by over 500%. That kind of performance is simply inexcusable. It's a small miracle that he wasn't fired when the company only doubled in size.

 

[maflynn]

Touch screen's on notebooks are confusing and out of place, it just does not work.

How so? Many folks don't seem to have any issues using them on laptops.

Meh.. I have surface devices and when I just want to chill out I grab my iPad Pro,

To each his own

I like it, but that doesn't mean everyone must

 

[yaxomoxay]

Then why advertise "What is a computer"?!?

 

[iShater]

Staff meeting on MacBook Pro:

The best way to annoy our users is to make them use dongles for everything.

The fact that Ivy thinks one of these babies is OK having such monstrosities attached to it speaks to them NOT using these day to day and feeling the impact on their users.

 

[Romy90210]

I use a keyboard most of the time, including the CAPS LOCK KEY. BUT NOT ALWAYS BECAUSE IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO THE READERS.

I was using computers and touchscreens since the 80s. To answer the very specific question of yours, I don't use an iPad or an iPhone. I have a tablet and a smartphone which have touchscreen. The common thing with both of them is...neither of them is a LAPTOP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION!!!!!!

I can make and receive calls from both my iPad Air and my MacBook Pro. Neither of them is a phone. Should i express my concerns about how useless that is... Thank You for your answer. oh yeah my apology for the caps on my previous post....

 

[osakawayne]

Laptops with touchscreens are extremely useful. Ask any Surface Book or any other touchscreen laptop owner. None of them would ever go back to a laptop without touchscreen. And a touchscreen is a hell of a lot more useful than a Touch Bar.

in my experience anyone I've asked has said the touch on surface isn't sensitive enough and it's too hard to click things so they just use the trackpad anyways. I tried my wife's surface and it absolutely sucked.

 

[yaxomoxay]

in my experience anyone I've asked has said the touch on surface isn't sensitive enough and it's too hard to click things so they just use the trackpad anyways. I tried my wife's surface and it absolutely sucked.

Yes, but that's a problem of development not of usefulness.

 

[tubeexperience]

I agree, the Touch Bar gives all the contextually appropriate benefits of multitouch without having to place your hands in an un-ergonomic angle, and mark up the screen. It seems to make a lot of sense to me, however in addition to the touch bar, including a full multitouch monitor would be nice for those who insist on poking at the screen. And seriously, now that we have a giant trackpad why no support for the Pencil??

Go look at Surface Book, Surface Studio, etc. and tell me that ergonomic is a problem.

 

[69Mustang]

First of all, I never said that, I never said to not have the option. I clearly said that I don't like the idea of a touchscreen on a laptop. Not that it shouldn't be an option.

Second, history tells me any more expensive options will become the default "option". Look for example the touch bar. I don't care about it, others don't care about it, but it is here. As an option....as long as you want the least powerful 13" mbp. If you want the larger more powerful 15" without a touch bar, you are screwed. Even if you never use it, you have to pay for it. I don't see Apple including a touchscreen and not asking for more money for it, whether you want a touchscreen or not. You know, courage or whatever.

Uh, okay... I guess. You do realize my comment was about the "fingerprint argument" right?

 

[brianvictor7]

I remember an interview not long ago (I think it was 60 Minutes) where Time Cook said that he used his iPad for everything. Like it was going to replace the conventional PC. At least now we know not everyone at Apple thinks this way (Thank God). Tablets are not PCs.

Agreed. The iPad (in its current form) cannot replace a PC. Will be interesting to see what Augmented Reality gear does to the PC though. That eventually will I suspect. Or more precisely, the glasses/goggles we will wear will replace the screen.

 

[Tamagotchi]

Yes, because since Cook has been in charge Apple's revenue has grown by over 500%. That kind of performance is simply inexcusable. It's a small miracle that he wasn't fired when the company only doubled in size.

So Apple has to be all about profits? Performance as a good innovative CEO is measured based on how well you milk the cash cow?

 

[solarguy17]

Laptops with touchscreens are extremely useful. Ask any Surface Book or any other touchscreen laptop owner. None of them would ever go back to a laptop without touchscreen. And a touchscreen is a hell of a lot more useful than a Touch Bar.

An intern at my company was assigned a touchscreen laptop. She tried to use the touch features for over a week before going up. The touch screen wasn't responsive at all. That probably says more about Dell then using a touchscreen on a laptop but not everyone wants or would use a touchscreen on a laptop.

 

[trauma62]

I guess apple is "OUT OF TOUCH" with reality

 

[djcerla]

I find it striking that most commenters and tech bloggers keep acting as the Touch Strip was a response to PC touchscreens.

It's not. It's the answer to the question: "what to replace an unused, mostly vestigial row of keys?".

And it's an excellent, innovative answer.

 

[8692574]

Yes, because since Cook has been in charge Apple's revenue has grown by over 500%. That kind of performance is simply inexcusable. It's a small miracle that he wasn't fired when the company only doubled in size.

This is the kind of thinking that is getting them into troubles..

I am making so much money who cares about customers, we still cash in.....

Microsoft was doing the same....now they are playing catch up, thing is Microsoft is better at catching up than Apple ever was!!

I find it striking that most commenters and tech bloggers keep acting as the Touch Strip was a response to PC touchscreens.

It's not. It's the answer to the question: "what to replace an unused, mostly vestigial row of keys?".

And it's an excellent, innovative answer.

More like... how do we pretend we did something during this 2 years???

"TOUCH BAR"..

PS what to replace an unused, mostly vestigial row of keys? is a question NOBODY asked in the first place, solving issue that aren't even there!!

 

[ahireasu]

If apple says so...

 

[LLeyba]

It is shocking to think Apple has so willingly abandoned their hardware customers.

Mr. Ivy, Mr. Cook, a long time, dedicated Apple customer for your phones, your laptops, for your desktops, for your watch, for your AppleTV, two days ago I pre-ordered a fully loaded Microsoft Surface Studio. This is the first time I have purchased any type of Microsoft based hardware product in 15 years or so.

Mr. Ivy and Mr. Cook, you are wrong about what your customers want. Competition in the marketplace is a great thing, and right now Microsoft is putting on a clinic on innovatiion. Please take note.

 

[fokmik]

ok, if you have a touchscreen laptop you shouldnt have the trackpad....for me was so confusing what to use (the trackpad or the screen) when i was using surface book. The trackpad WAS invented to be the TOUCH for the desktop OS. So you want to build touchscreen laptops, then eliminate the trackpad, you want to keep that perfect trackpad from the mac, then dont go touch