Craig Federighi Says Touch Bar on New MacBook Pro Has 'So Much Potential' For Developers

[smoking monkey]

I'd like to see the Knightrider red light wave on it, anyone?!!

I'd buy that for a dollar!

Personally I think the touch bar is bloody awesome and really want one of these machines. I spend most of my time in Safari, Pages, Word, Keynote, Pixelmator, Final draft and to a lesser extent Final Cut. So I'm excited to see how the bar will work with those programs over the coming months.

 

[stevet]

How about we compare it to the fingerprint reader on the type cover you could buy from Microsoft for over a year now?

So you're saying they shouldn't have put that in there?

 

[7 others]

Cool feature, but hardly worth the 'Hello again' tagline IMO.

What has happened to Apple's continuity?

iPhone 7 with no headphone jack - plug in via Lightning, okay sure. But to then KEEP a headphone jack on their updated MacBooks instead of replacing it with a Lightning port? This doesn't keep in line with their 'courage' statement. It simply DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

And in all seriousness, this NEVER would have happened.....

yeahh, i hate the ports. I have an iphone, but i would not be able to connect it to the new mac directly. This is just dumb. Also, the next iPhone would have a lighting to usbC cable.

Best way to use this new mac is with a docking machine. and this is what we get in 2016, pretty disappointed.

 

[Fidgetyrat]

Anyone remember when they treated dashboard and widgets like the second coming? I have to jump through hoops just to turn that feature on these days. I have a feeling that is the direction this little bar is going to go.

 

[Thunderhawks]

I'm not all too bothered with the price. But I'm also not in the market for a full blown MBP. Though, as I said in a Pro thread, I wonder if a Mac Pro will be unveiled in spring or summer '17, as those are the historic periods for all Mac Pro versions prior to the 2nd generation.

In the end I can probably also live with the prices, since I'll wait until they come down and refurbs or used become available. Looks like I'll be in the market for MBPs next in 2018.

Still feel inconvenienced by the new generation (mag safe, ports etc.) and let's not forget these are no wBETA products and the next "non functioning gate" is already pre-programmed!

 

[stevet]

When asked "what's one thing about these laptops that no one talked about on stage about these laptops that you'd like to share" Craig goes into a weird answer about throwing cloths over the laptop so his wife doesn't see it? Wow, strange.

 

[7 others]

The problem with the way the whole tech press works, is that it is driven by a bunch of fanboys, such as this guy in the video. And they do not ask the hard questions.

He´s standing there and telling him "obviously it works great with final cut" without even having tried it as a professional tool. These reporterts are probably handpicked. If you guys know how high ranking PR teams operate, it´s disgusting.

So already now on day two after launch, we´re seing this being blown out of proportion. Nobody even mentions that they have left this out of the low end device, causing segregation in their demographic between rich versus poor. And the fact that this thing is coming at the expense of battery life, where the low end device has higher battery life than the others. Because of the lack of an oled bar.

Apple was reported to revamp the whole product line of Macbooks yesterday. But instead only the pro line was affected. And now we´re in the situation where we have an insane high number of different Macbook products. Pro, not pro, air, pro without retina display, pro without oled bar, pro with dvd drive still in production, new new Macbook 12 inch. And of course, different spec configs of all these products.

Where are the people who were so good at narrowing the product line down to minimum and just have ONE of each.? In their grave?

I beg to defy. There are too many varieties of Macs out there, and it does make people confused. One has to make a decision and cannibalize the old products before it gets out of proportion, isn't it?

With that said, I am still left disappointed with the new Macs. Touch bar looks great but it comes with the expense of losing HDMI, SD card reader and most importantly the USB-A and MagSafe, the strong benefits that differentiate them from the rest of competitors. For me this is the 1st generation of Macs, and I ain't gonna buy any first generation product from Apple.

 

[stevet]

Cool feature, but hardly worth the 'Hello again' tagline IMO.

What has happened to Apple's continuity?

iPhone 7 with no headphone jack - plug in via Lightning, okay sure. But to then KEEP a headphone jack on their updated MacBooks instead of replacing it with a Lightning port? This doesn't keep in line with their 'courage' statement. It simply DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

And in all seriousness, this NEVER would have happened.....

I totally agree with you on this one, very strange decisions that are being made. Then take a look at the refreshed iMac from this year, no USB-C/TB3 at all.

 

[69Mustang]

Because the MBP is designed for editing high quality professional photo and video, unlike all the other products you have mentioned. In those industries constant screen blemishes are a no-no (before you ask, my family run a professional portrait studio).

Let me correct one thing for you. The MBP is a computer that can be used for editing photo and video. That's one use case. That use case shouldn't be used as a be-all-end-all argument against something. I'm pretty sure since your family uses your computers for photo and video editing you keep your screens clean by... wiping them with a microfiber or something else. No different than anyone else who wipes their screen from time to time. Would it have to be wiped more often if it was a touchscreen? Yup. Is more wiping some kind of unendurable hardship? For me, no. For you? The way you're on about fingerprints, it might be.

 

[Jsameds]

Let me correct one thing for you. The MBP is a computer that can be used for editing photo and video. That's one use case. That use case shouldn't be used as a be-all-end-all argument against something. I'm pretty sure since your family uses your computers for photo and video editing you keep your screens clean by... wiping them with a microfiber or something else. No different than anyone else who wipes their screen from time to time. Would it have to be wiped more often if it was a touchscreen? Yup. It more wiping some kind of unendurable hardship? For me, no. For you? The way you're on about fingerprints, it might be.

It actually is. My iPad Air 2 is a FP magnet, I'm constantly wiping it because it drives me mad. Some people can live with it, but me - I just can't stand a mucky screen, even when just doing some light browsing.

That said fingerprints are just one of the points I made, I'm only making a big fuss about it because everyone keeps on asking me about it. TBH the other points I raised are probably the more important ones.

I'm still in the mindset that tablets and fully fledged PC's are two separate entities and should remain that way. I can see that a hybrid makes sense for some, but they're just not for me.

 

[chrisandersen]

I want you on top of my new iMac keyboard

 

[Jsameds]

I want you on top of my new iMac keyboard

 

[oneMadRssn]

I haven't tried it myself and although it looks nice, I think its an ergonomic disaster. You go from the trackpad (blindly) to the touch bar (you have to look), use it... look at the screen if it's okay and over and over again... Can't believe Apple comes up with such an ergonomic disaster like this. They really don't get it and are out of ideas. Did this really took 4 years to develop .

Same for photo's. I don't get the double functions with the trackpad. Multitouch on the trackpad is ergonomic logical in my opinion (you can keep your eyes on the screen and naturally perform certain tasks on the trackpad).

I understand the pricing. Numbers of Apple's iPads are down for years, by upping the price for the notebooks, they hope to sell more iPads. With this pace of innovation they'll sell less from both.

I disagree that its an ergonomic disaster. The trackpad is flat and on the horizontal surface. The keyboard is flat and on the horizontal surface. Touching something flat on the horizontal surface is natural.

Touch-screen laptops are an ergonomic disaster. Touching something which is vertical to you, on a different plane than the keyboard and touchpad, is an ergonomic disaster.

I can touch-type, but I do still sometimes look down at the keyboard to find shortcuts. I don't see anything wrong about glancing down at the touch bar.

 

[69Mustang]

It actually is. My iPad Air 2 is a FP magnet, I'm constantly wiping it because it drives me mad. Some people can live with it, but me - I just can't stand a mucky screen, even when just doing some light browsing.

That said fingerprints are just one of the points I made, I'm only making a big fuss about it because everyone keeps on asking me about it. TBH the other points I raised are probably the more important ones.

I'm still in the mindset that tablets and fully fledged PC's are two separate entities and should remain that way. I can see that a hybrid makes sense for some, but they're just not for me.

Fair enough. You probably would have gotten far less pushback had you included the bolded portion of your comment. Your quotes were pretty emphatic in tone that there's only one right way. And you're right, you did make other points (more valid points, imo as well) against touchscreen MBP's. You just let others take control of your narrative. Take that $#@% back man. I couldn't care less if they do or don't, as long as it is optional.

 

[Jsameds]

Fair enough. You probably would have gotten far less pushback had you included the bolded portion of your comment. Your quotes were pretty emphatic in tone that there's only one right way. And you're right, you did make other points (more valid points, imo as well) against touchscreen MBP's. You just let others take control of your narrative. Take that $#@% back man. I couldn't care less if they do or don't, as long as it is optional.

Well I am right

 

[fokmik]

to benefit from the macOS sierra and oled bar, they need to update the wireless keyboard and all the desktop macs like mac mini/imac and mac pro to usb-c/tb3 and since the wireless keyboard is meant for desktop, they could make it bigger that touchbar

 

[gopo]

Microsoft is not stupid anymore....Apple should combine (various sizes): A detachable screen with the iPad (iOS) components in the back of it and a keyboard with a MacBook (macOS) underneath. The best combo: 2 in 1. iOS and macOS should stay individual but combine on apps that require that. In the end, you need the iPad (switch a button for the iOS system), you take the screen (with a pen, eventually) and do your stuff. You need the MacBook power and its specific apps, you attach the screen to keyboard (MacBook) switch the button for macOS and go on. You need both operating systems on the same display on apps that work together, you can use the split screen or underneath connections between systems. Of course, things can go more complex and they need to figure out the best links between them. No cannibalisation. This very simplistic view can go big. That should be the future. Not the gimmicks we see today. Apart from this, they will see a boom in apps created by developers for both environments. Than you can sell it to me starting at $2.500 in any sizes you think is proper.

 

[discounteggroll]

I think my 2012 rMBP just went up in value

 

[whiteboytrash]

Ugh. Apple should not have sacrificed the function keys for the touch bar. I use the function keys extensively for controls and for switching between apps (OneKey). I do it by touch, not visually. I don't want to be looking down to figure out where things are. I want the tactile feedback of the keys. The TouchBar is a nice addition but it is an extra, not a replacement for function keys and should appear above the function keys.

I also don't like the wider track pad. My hands are going to end up resting on it. Ugh.

If you press the FN key the function keys appear, like always.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

Cool feature, but hardly worth the 'Hello again' tagline IMO.

What has happened to Apple's continuity?

iPhone 7 with no headphone jack - plug in via Lightning, okay sure. But to then KEEP a headphone jack on their updated MacBooks instead of replacing it with a Lightning port? This doesn't keep in line with their 'courage' statement. It simply DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

And in all seriousness, this NEVER would have happened.....

This proves the hypocritical nature of this company and its failure to think things out clearly. It believe it was Tim who famously once said several years ago that they don't make compromises, look what they did.

And he said " Oh, we worked very hard. VERY, VERY hard " in relation to the Apple TV 4 unveiling, I thought it was a joke. That remote reminded me of Nintendo's Wiimote. My god.

And now this headphone jack hypocrisy today. This should prove to you that Phil is a liar and that removing the headphone jack on the phone was nothing more than a cash grab and a way to 'compromise' the unified design of the iphone. It should be everything, including the kitchen sink, NOT without.

 

[Zaft]

Its no wonder Chromebooks are selling as good as they are. I love apple products but in no way would I spend this kind of money. My Wife has a 2011 13" Macbook air that she still uses. Apple expects me to pay these prices to upgrade?

 

[fokmik]

Its no wonder Chromebooks are selling as good as they are. I love apple products but in no way would I spend this kind of money. My Wife has a 2011 13" Macbook air that she still uses. Apple expects me to pay these prices to upgrade?

yes...remember YOUR WIFE still using a 13" macbook air from 2011 (probably an 1600$ laptop for that time). My friends razer from 3 years ago is by bye battery and the screen has some blurry colours now

 

[smacrumon]

It was completely odd that emojis were highlighted for a Macbook PRO product. Simply distracted from the lack of professional aspects of the machine

 

[Pilgrim1099]

I disagree that its an ergonomic disaster. The trackpad is flat and on the horizontal surface. The keyboard is flat and on the horizontal surface. Touching something flat on the horizontal surface is natural.

Touch-screen laptops are an ergonomic disaster. Touching something which is vertical to you, on a different plane than the keyboard and touchpad, is an ergonomic disaster.

I can touch-type, but I do still sometimes look down at the keyboard to find shortcuts. I don't see anything wrong about glancing down at the touch bar.

NOT if they redesign the touch screen laptops to swivel and recline like the Surface Pro or the Surface PC. That's the proper angle to use for a touch screen laptop/hybrid. Apple should've gone for that approach. Even if they THINK touchscreen laptops aren't the answer, they're too late because it's already out there now. Years from now, many PCs or portable computers will have reclined touchscreen monitors for this ergonomic reason.

I can hear it now:

Apple: Oh, tut tut! We think vertical touch screens are bad for you. Tut tut!

Real World to Apple: No kidding, Sherlock!! Go with the reclined monitor swivel like Surface Pro and that'll solve the problem. It worked for Microsoft. It worked for Wacom Cintiqs. What are you waiting for?

 

[whiteboytrash]

Fingerprint unlock technology in PC notebooks has been around for ages. Even my old (and still perfectly working) 2009 Dell XPS M1530 has a fingerprint sensor. It's quite embarrassing to sell this feature as a novelty in the year 2016.

Oh, and on a side-note, back in the day when I still cared about Hackintoshes, I had a working Snow Leopard installation on that old Dell XPS. It can be done, but it's just not worth the effort. And when I compare Sierra with Windows 10, I really don't see anything anymore where macOS is more advanced than Windows. Apple dropped the ball a long time ago; they no longer care about the Mac, they've turned into a pure iOS gadget company. The concept of the new Surface Studio machine blows everything out of the water that Apple has done in the PC market in the last five years -- and the Surface represents a technology that Apple couldn't do at this point even if they wanted to.

Based on this summary, Apple is not allowed to use poorly implemented technology in future products to make it better? That's utterly stupid.

Microsoft have only announced he concept or Surface Studio, no one has actually seen or used it as yet. Like the two screen courier concept they came out with a few years back, it looked great in the animated demo but never materialised as anything. Microsoft have a habit of announcing products and not backing it up with substance.