Did Apple Kill the Lightup Logo for Nightshift?

[rhyzome]

One annoyance I used to have with using f.lux on my rMBP was that the illuminated Apple logo would cast a mismatched ("unhealthy white/blue") hue around the room during late hour use. Most of the time this was not noticeable, but it did become a problem during the latest hours. Without the logo, f.lux or Nightshift work seemlessly and match the altered hues of smart lighting systems as well.

Anyone think that plans for Nightshift were partly behind the losing of the illuminated Apple logo on the backs of the rMBPs?

 

[HumpYourWayUp]

NO

 

[caramelpolice]

I don't think so at all. It's just an aesthetic choice to match their other devices. The 2015 12" MacBook dropped the light a year before Night Shift hit iOS, much less macOS.

 

[Cindori]

The drop of illuminated logo was due to thinner screen/more components, it boggles my mind that people don't understand this. It's very simple.

 

[KarimLeVallois]

Pretty sure they dropped it because of the screen assembly and it being so thin?

 

[Sanpete]

Probably but maybe not entirely an aesthetic choice. There was also a light bleeding issue in certain conditions.
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The drop of illuminated logo was due to thinner screen/more components, it boggles my mind that people don't understand this. It's very simple.

So I've heard, but how does thinness make a window impractical?

 

[Brookzy]

I recall this explanation from when the question was asked back when the 12" MacBook was announced in 2015.

It isn't the thinness per se that has meant there is no glowing logo (i.e., the glowing logo doesn't necessarily require a thicker screen).

Remember, a discreet metal component replaces the white plastic filler, so the thickness difference between those two materials would be minute anyway.

Rather, the pursuit of thinness led to the selection of a new backlighting technology that simply works differently and doesn't emit light in both directions.

 

[wolfaaron]

I don't think that's the reason why they dropped it. I think that they did it because of battery constraints since they now need to power up the touchbar. If they wanted to keep it they could. LED's are very thin.

 

[Sanpete]

Rather, the pursuit of thinness led to the selection of a new backlighting technology that simply works differently and doesn't emit light in both directions.

I see. I'll have to look that up to see how it works.

 

[Intell]

I don't think that's the reason why they dropped it. I think that they did it because of battery constraints since they now need to power up the touchbar. If they wanted to keep it they could. LED's are very thin.

The Apple logo on the back of Macbooks doesn't have a separate light source. It is lit up by the main LCD panel. It takes exactly zero energy to power the Apple logo as long as the main LCD screen is lit.

 

[Nautilus007]

BRING IT BACK.

i hate the new logo shine.

 

[dyn]

The drop of illuminated logo was due to thinner screen/more components, it boggles my mind that people don't understand this. It's very simple.

Because it is completely unrealistic. It indeed is very simple when you think about it for a second: it doesn't matter if you insert a shiny metal Apple logo or a transparant piece of plastic which is why the thickness of the screen is not likely to be the reason. Nor is it when you compare the display of the 2015 model with the 2016 model.

Things like aesthetics, consistency throughout their product range and some very sound technical reason (as one listed above) are far more likely reasons why they left it out. I don't think it is just 1 reason why they didn't do it. For all we know the newer panels not being able to light up the logo was no more than a convenience to them because they found the lit Apple logo to be a gimmick of the past. Things change over time.

 

[goobot]

The logo wasn't removed because thinness. The antenna in the old models are in the plastic hindge. The hindge is now metal so they moved the antenna to the Apple logo which is now plastic too.

 

[dyn]

Not according to the iFixit teardown. The logo is metal (step 20) and doesn't contain the antennae; the antennae are located in the same spot as in the older models (aka the hinge; see step 19).

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

I liked the light up logo but I appreciated the design decisions. It was starting to look a little dated, the shiny and sleeker logo looks more modern now, to me anyway.

 

[WhiteWhaleHolyGrail]

They actually dropped the lit logo because direct sunlight behind the screen would cause an Apple shaped shadow to appear on screen. This was a commonly reported problem.

 

[Appleaker]

No, it was a purely aesthetic choice. The Apple logo didn't have any affect as it uses the display backlight, however you may experience that problem when there is a light source behind the Apple logo. This is most visible when holding it up to the sun although I imagine it would have similarly been noticeable with f.lux running.

 

[SoloXis]

This is why.

 

[steve62388]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that it also probably had something to do with lowering the manufacturing cost. Not the only reason sure, but you can imagine the conversation included that bonus. Shaving a couple of bucks off here and there adds up in the long run.

 

[Brookzy]

I surprised nobody has mentioned that it also probably had something to do with lowering the manufacturing cost. Not the only reason sure, but you can imagine the conversation included that bonus. Shaving a couple of bucks off here and there adds up in the long run.

I really doubt a discrete colour-matched polished cut metal component is cheaper than a piece of plastic.

 

[steve62388]

I really doubt a discrete colour-matched polished cut metal component is cheaper than a piece of plastic.

It's discrete? Then I stand corrected. I have read ifixit teardowns and can't see either way. I had made the assumption that it was integral.

 

[Brookzy]

It's discrete? Then I stand corrected. I have read ifixit teardowns and can't see either way. I had made the assumption that it was integral.

I'm trying to load iFixit to check but AWS is down in my area (and so half of the internet with it!) - I'm pretty sure it's stainless steel.

Edit: I've got iFixit up now but they dont bother tearing down the screen. In person they feel like separate components - you can feel the ridge - and I know they definitely are separate components on iOS devices.