Concept Imagines What a Dynamic OLED Touch Panel Could Look Like on a MacBook Pro

[dannys1]

Once again...another greatest features of all time: inability to upgrade...you got soldering feature.
I wonder what hd they will put in.

Obviously the fastest PCI-E flash storage available on the market (or even not available on the market has been the case the last two times) as they haven't been for 4-5 upgrades in a row now.

But you can pretend they haven't been if it makes you feel better.

 

[ShangTsung]

If that's not what it looks like, I'll be disappointed. These concept images are fantastic!

Also, I REALLLLYYYYY hope they don't drop MagSafe. They can USB-C it up all they want. Just don't drop MagSafe.

 

[croco_dile]

A few points:
1. they have basically moved the menu bar to the keyboard - gimmick
2. the info they have on display is available on the screen - gimmick
3. this will no doubt eat in battery? - ?!?!

It may look cool, but other than teenagers and nerds, I can't see how anyone will really need it

 

[grad]

The concept images look great, until you realise there are no function physical keys, never mind the terrible (and unnecessary) butterfly keyboard. Programmers-on-the-go (among others) would be so happy .... If I wanted just a media consumption portable device I would buy/use a tablet.

 

[niun]

I can see so much potential in this. Imagine using Photoshop and having all your tools spread out across the strip saving you screen space. I hope though that Apple have other uses for this strip that we haven't even thought about yet. Very exciting!

I was thinking that...


Then I thought, No! No to this whole ridiculous idea.
The keyboard shouldn't be a distraction. Like ever!
Any dancing animated light source sitting on the keyboard is going to be a constant distraction and annoyance.
If that constantly changes with every different app you switch between it's going to be a nightmare.

Damn near ever piece of software - like Photoshop - has customisable set-ups for keyboards. I know exactly what keys to press to get to any function or tool without ever having to take my eyes off of the screen.

Not so much exciting in my view.. More pointless gimmick.

 

[gregrobson]

Interesting! I'm aiming to get my first MBPr this year and I'm waiting on the new models before buying.

Pros:

• F-keys are an old concept, using them relies on your own memory "Select all matching instances... that's ALT-F3, F5 to refresh, F11 for fullscreen). I use an Apple Keyboard on Windows and I'm still bamboozled by F19... I dare not press it for fear of the consequences!
• Some F-keys almost never get used unless you map them for purpose (F6? F9?) - the concepts of a keyboard haven't really been updated since the IBM Model M - back in 1985!
• This moves some of the visual annoyances you get on screen to something that's out the way.
• The OLED bar has the potential for swipe actions - that bar would be awesome for audio/video playback and editing
• Easier hotkey configuration for power users of IDEs, Photoshop etc.

Downsides:

• Not so good for touch typists if you use F-keys without looking.
• One heck of a culture change!
• Loosing the escape key (although remapping `~ could be an alternative. Some people will use backticks a lot, I don't use them as much)

I'm intrigued - if they have done their research and have a good case for loosing the F-keys then Apple could be saying F-off o the F-keys!

 

[x0vash0x]

Pointless. I have a MacBook. Price aside can you comprehend why a MBA with a Retina display would be a superior machine? Nothing to do with cost ! And it would be the $1650 model

Interesting how you are debating with others how you want portable and small, and yet cannot grasp why the MBA is one do the best laptops Apple has, bar the screen?? Hello the rest of the Apple range is retina....

Yeah, which should tell you something: The MBA will never get a retina display only. If anything, it would get a redesign with less ports, and thinner design (i.e. It'll become a 13" rMB). But, I honestly don't care what the superior machine is or would be. I care about what Apple is most likely going to do based on the principle that they're out to maximize profits and generate growth, not provide you with you think is the superior machine.

Honestly, what I want is a 13" OS X Laptop that isn't EOL. Which isn't the MBA, and it's not the rMB. It's the rMBP. I don't care how many ports it has or doesn't have. I don't care about base storage or RAM. I really don't even care about CPU or GPU. Having decent quality parts would be nice and is expected, but I don't expect it to be maxed out.

 

[MH01]

Yeah, which should tell you something: The MBA will never get a retina display only. If anything, it would get a redesign with less ports, and thinner design (i.e. It'll become a 13" rMB). But, I honestly don't care what the superior machine is or would be. I care about what Apple is most likely going to do based on the principle that they're out to maximize profits and generate growth, not provide you with you think is the superior machine.

Honestly, what I want is a 13" OS X Laptop that isn't EOL. Which isn't the MBA, and it's not the rMB. It's the rMBP. I don't care how many ports it has or doesn't have. I don't care about base storage or RAM. I really don't even care about CPU or GPU. Having decent quality parts would be nice and is expected, but I don't expect it to be maxed out.

So you don't care about GPU , CPU , Storage and RAM, you just care that it's not EOL? You just want apple to give you anything as long as it looks good , is shiny with the Apple logo, and a new design.

You want a fashion accessory? the rest of us want a computer.

 

[x0vash0x]

So you don't care about GPU , CPU , Storage and RAM, you just care that it's not EOL? You just want apple to give you anything as long as it looks good , is shiny with the Apple logo, and a new design.

You want a fashion accessory? the rest of us want a computer.

I told you what I want: a 13" Laptop with OS X on it. Beyond that, I'm pretty indifferent. I need something that allows me to do generic office work, which is literally anything in their offering. So, having a top of the line CPU, GPU, storage or RAM is trifling. The era of that stuff really mattering is over. People still overly concerned about that stuff are niche power users, which I've said repeatedly, Apple is no longer catering to.

Think about it the same way most people view a car: how much of the population actually gives a crap about horsepower or any other car specs besides safety rating and MPG? Even then, people tend to bu cars based on color, look, feel, design. Consumers don't care about specs, they care about what feels right and what looks good. And price.

I dare you to ask any 'average' consumer why they bought the care they did. I doubt any one will mention more than surface specs. Same thing with smart phones. It's all just marketing. 'iPhone has a retina display, that's why I bought it' vs. 'Galaxy has an OLED display, that's why I bought it' but do the actually notice or understand the difference? It doesn't actually matter.

People 'prefer' Android or iOS. They don't actually have a logically reason most of the time, it's just preference. Same thing with Apple computers and Windows, in the consumer market that is. It IS a fashion statement. I prefer brand X over brand Y.

The fact that people here don't get that means everyone is delusional regarding the current state of computing and the computer industry.

 

[niun]

The fact that people here don't get that means everyone is delusional regarding the current state of computing and the computer industry.

Really? I only see one company tearing power out of it's products. Everyone else appears to be heading in the opposite direction. More power in thinner products.

Actually even Apple is going all out on it's iOS line. Boasting about faster, lighter more powerful. Higher RAM, CPU etc...
Only the desktop / laptops appear to be getting a kicking.

 

[x0vash0x]

Really? I only see one company tearing power out of it's products. Everyone else appears to be heading in the opposite direction. More power in thinner products.

Actually even Apple is going all out on it's iOS line. Boasting about faster, lighter more powerful. Higher RAM, CPU etc...
Only the desktop / laptops appear to be getting a kicking.

Because it comes at the expense of battery life. Sure, you can get faster, lighter, more powerful, but they all have pretty crappy battery life compared to anything in Apple's offering. Apple calls this 'compromise' power users call it 'sacrifice' it's two sides of the same coin.

MSI G70 Stealth, Razer Blade, all comparable in terms of size and design, all more powerful, with way less battery life.

 

[Three141]

I think this looks good.
Although I'm happy with the current F keys if the bar is customiseable I could see people utilising this feature, good on Apple.

 

[any-key]

I need all buttons in the top row to stay as they currently are regardless of the opened application, what like you don't need to change volume or play/pause unless you're in Spotify? What's even the point of making this bar dynamic?

Why do ppl assume that Apple would be introducing something like this without giving the option to choose between "dynamic" and "fixed" items on that OLED strip?

 

[niun]

Apple calls this 'compromise' power users call it 'sacrifice' it's two sides of the same coin.

I see, I don't however agree... So Apple should no longer cater to these "power" users?

The trouble with fashion is that it's very fickle. You lose your base and you've got nothing left when the wind changes.

 

[applesith]

Looks very cool. But how do you turn a device on by the touch screen if it's off (or battery is drained)?

 

[x0vash0x]

I see, I don't however agree... So Apple should no longer cater to these "power" users?

The trouble with fashion is that it's very fickle. You lose your base and you've got nothing left when the wind changes.

'Should' is a very loaded term. I think Apple has lost their base. Apple is trying to be a tech fashion company (just look at how they're marketing the Apple Watch), and they're walking a fine line between alienating fashion and tech enthusiasts.

Apple is looking for growth, and that will not happen from power users. Could Apple placate power users? Sure, but haven't they already with the Mac Pro? Power Users looking for a laptop.... I'm not sure Apple will be coming back to court them anytime soon. I think the writing was on the wall when they discontinued the 17" MBP.

 

[niun]

'Should' is a very loaded term. I think Apple has lost their base. Apple is trying to be a tech fashion company (just look at how they're marketing the Apple Watch), and they're walking a fine line between alienating fashion and tech enthusiasts.

Apple is looking for growth, and that will not happen from power users. Could Apple placate power users? Sure, but haven't they already with the Mac Pro? Power Users looking for a laptop.... I'm not sure Apple will be coming back to court them anytime soon. I think the writing was on the wall when they discontinued the 17" MBP.

Sadly I think you're correct.
Even the Mac Pro was / is a middle finger to the "Pro" crowd.

 

[freediverx]

I don't see the appeal. While context-sensitive function keys could be useful, there's little point in using this space to actually display information. That sounds as inefficient as a touch screen for a desktop operating system.

These mockups also ignore the fact that users expect some key functions to always be available, such as brightness, volume, escape, and power buttons. That still leaves room for a few contextual functions but I'm struggling to imagine how they could provide enough utility to justify the effort.

I bought the latest generation Apple Magic keyboard, with the new scissor mechanism keys. It take a little getting used to, but once you do, it's more efficient and produces less stress. The main takeaway is that the new keyboards require (allow) a very LIGHT touch. There's no need to pound on the keys.
[doublepost=1465566703][/doublepost]

There is a flaw in the touch bar. What would it display when OS X hasn't been loaded yet? Or worse, what would it display if it were running Linux or Windows?

A power button will always be physical. That is the #1 rule in electronics.

And what about Command+Option+Escape? Virtual keys would be less resilient to application and system crashes.
[doublepost=1465566874][/doublepost]

Unfortunately it's not innovation. The idea existed years ago. The only difference is that only the function keys are being converted to touch.

Acer experimented with such concept, the Acer Iconia, converting the whole keyboard with a touch screen display. Only difference is that there is no tactile feedback.

Not sure if this concept is patented.

That is just... awful... However it could be useful for specific applications, like video editing:

 

[kgorin]

Why do ppl assume that Apple would be introducing something like this without giving the option to choose between "dynamic" and "fixed" items on that OLED strip?

Because in fact I don't really want perfectly working thing (i.e. top row) replaced with a gimmicky OLED touch screen. I honestly hope Apple engineers are smarter than all of us here including the creator of this concept and they figured out something much better than this.

 

[nope7308]

Please, for the love of God, don't make this a fingerprint magnet. Otherwise, this looks very promising!

 

[freediverx]

As for people complaining about no power button - why does the power button have to be a button?

Make it so simply opening the laptop when it's off turns it on.

What if I want to turn my laptop on or off without opening or closing it? What if I want to to just go to sleep instead of powering off? What about when there's a major crash and only a hardware key can save the day?

There's a reason the iPhone and iPad still have a physical home button (among others.)

 

[Darryl.Jenks]

That keyboard looks more like the MacBook style with the "I'm a butterfly" nonsense going on. To paraphrase the great Mr. Garrison: I greatly prefer scissor.

 

[PatriotInvasion]

Because in fact I don't really want perfectly working thing (i.e. top row) replaced with a gimmicky OLED touch screen. I honestly hope Apple engineers are smarter than all of us here including the creator of this concept and they figured out something much better than this.

You know how Apple bakes in OS X features to the Function row (Expose, Mission Control, etc)? Well, these have changed over time, and once Apple has already shipped notebooks with OS X features fixed in plastic in the Function row, they can't go around and replace buttons on all those machines. Sound familiar? That was Jobs' explanation for why smart phone keyboards were a problem.

While the QWERTY keyboard doesn't need to change, having the Function row change with software is not a bad idea to me. Seems like Apple can't win sometimes. We beg them to come out with new ideas and innovate, and when they do we say how dare they mess with what I've always known. Smh.

 

[niun]

That keyboard looks more like the MacBook style with the "I'm a butterfly" nonsense going on.

That's exactly what they'll be throwing in the new MBPro.

 

[macpanzer]

Make all the keys small OLED screens. An application can then replace letters by other app-specific commands.

Edit: looks like I'm not the only one who thought of that here ...