Former Apple Employee Thinks Touch Bar Shouldn't Be Forced on Users Who Want Highest-End MacBook Pro

[Cloudkicker]

Couldn't agree more. Make the touchbar an option for people who want it. But if I want a non touchbar MBP, I should have to sacrifice chip speed and number of ports etc.

Aaahh, but wouldn't that make the TB a referendum on its use? If more people buy/don't buy would tell Apple whether it's a success or failure.

So we know: 1.) Apple doesn't do elections on its features. 2.) Because it makes them lose face if one doesn't take off in... see #1.

 

[itsamacthing]

I have the touch bar and find it useless ... Not calling it a gimmick, but it's not very useful

 

[Zirel]

Keep thinking people like it. 2015 pro keyboard is much better. USB-C has not been adopted enough to get rid of normal USB ports. Shove a gimmick down people's throats and ask for extra $$. Top notch. The general public led to the outcry. Apple executives had to speak out. When was the last time that happened?

Keep "thinking" what?

You are blind to evidence, your "general public" is not general in any way, the general public voted with their wallets and whatever it is, the new gen has won.

 

[acorntoy]

It's actually extremely useful for many people. Just because you don't do anything that warrants a use for it doesn't make it a gimmick.

Just because you have a few uses for it shouldn't mean I have to pay for it when I have none. It's an interesting feature, but it should be an option. You should be able to get a premium machine without it.
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Keep "thinking" what?

You are blind to evidence, your "general public" is not general in any way, the general public voted with their wallets and whatever it is, the new gen has won.

Has it though? It's interesting that apple hasn't axed the 2015 15" yet.....

We shall truly know what has "won" when apple gets rid of that, and releases either a cheaper version with no touchbar or price cuts the touchbar versions.

 

[CosmoCopus]

Have you watched the 2015 in the refurb store? They're like gold dust and are sold out almost immediately. The refurb store is awash with discarded 2016 models as the smart Apple buyers know the 2015 model is the benchmark by which the later models fail miserably against.

I see the 2015 models in there all the time.

 

[acorntoy]

**** Mercedes-Benz and their fancy gears.

f**k Mercedes and their fancy gearbox.

I see the 2015 models in there all the time. Not sold out immediately.

My gearbox switches gears faster than a human can and gets better gas mileage, while also letting me control the gears. **** manuals. This is a completely different issue. Especially because in extremely driver/speed orientated cars you usually do get a choice.

 

[Val-kyrie]

If I want to adjust the volume, I tap the volume icon and then slide left or right. That is certainly not difficult to do.

Vs two key strokes--and I don't have to take my eyes off my screen.

The volume button however is not as accessible as you describe when using a different menu on the touch bar.

 

[Gameboy70]

I'm not too worried about this. Judging from the lack of non-TB 13" models for sale as refurbs, and my conversations with Apple Store employees about model popularity, I suspect Apple will refresh the 15" MBP line in the Spring and introduce at least one non-TB 15" in the lineup. They can't abandon the touchbar entirely in one generation, but the demand for "Escape" models is too large to ignore.

This weekend I ordered a 16GB RAM, 516GB HDD, non-TB 13" model for $1900, which is almost certainly what Apple would've charged for a 256GB non-TB 15" version.

 

[Val-kyrie]

Indeed you can. It's under the keyboard or display settings, I don't recall which right now.

But it is not possible to leave the function keys in the touchbar without pressing the function key.

But such users would likely have their hands on the keyboard already, so pressing the "Fn" key to bring up the function keys should be a non-issue, right? Are there use cases where someone would use the function keys one-handed?

On a non-touchbar model, the user chooses whether to use the function keys as function keys or whether to press the lower "Fn" key to enable the function keys to function in that manner.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Most want the ports back, that's the big issues.

 

[scrapesleon]

I just want the whole keyboard being touch bar

 

[JamesPDX]

What if you could have a touchscreen, a smaller touchpad, and some ports back?
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Most want the ports back, that's the big issues.

"You're touching it wrong..."

 

[Geordiekeith]

I'm not too worried about this. Judging from the lack of non-TB 13" models for sale as refurbs, and my conversations with Apple Store employees about model popularity, I suspect Apple will refresh the 15" MBP line in the Spring and introduce at least one non-TB 15" in the lineup. They can't abandon the touchbar entirely in one generation, but the demand for "Escape" models is too large to ignore.

This weekend I ordered a 16GB RAM, 516GB HDD, non-TB 13" model for $1900, which is almost certainly what Apple would've charged for a 256GB non-TB 15" version.

Although my first thought was that the touchbar is a gimmick I would not use, I suspect that if I had one I could probably live with it and even end up using it. However, I will not have that experience as I will not buy a machine with the awful keyboard that Apple are forcing on users now - and all for the sake of thinness. As a technical writer my input is through the keyboard, and I cannot use the dead piece of c*** they are now supplying. Once my 2015 Macbook needs replacing I will most likely go to Windows, something I have avoided for 30 years. Best decision I made was to buy the maxed out version (16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, 3.1GHz i7) so I have a few years left before that decision needs to be made.

 

[JamesPDX]

So, I have to ask. Whose idea was the overly-massive trackpad? That's not thin at all. Nor is it fun.
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Keep "thinking" what?

You are blind to evidence, your "general public" is not general in any way, the general public voted with their wallets and whatever it is, the new gen has won.

Well, some might say that they had to vote with their wallets since mid-2014 MBP are so scarce. Productivity meets planned obsolescence, etc.

 

[Diving Capers]

In other news.... a silly word was used in a silly article about silly gymmiky tech.

I opine that opine is a silly word.... that's just my opinion.

 

[Digital Dude]

While I have the latest 15-inch MacBook Pro complete with the 2TD SSD, it's the most underwhelming Apple product I have ever purchased. If I had to do it over again I would've purchased a Windows-based system.

 

[Creepitor]

.

 

[skellener]

The former Apple employee couldn't be more right.

 

[sos47]

with Touch Bar results indifferent UIs on MBP and iMac.

Why not use an iPad and a "Touchbar App" with all macOS devices instead?

 

[turbineseaplane]

No one asked for ProMotion either although we won't live without it in a couple of years.

ProMotion isn't a gimmick - It's a tangible improvement to the entire experience of interacting with all aspects of the device. Not even remotely in the same realm as the TouchBar.

 

[Creepitor]

.

 

[oosamon]

I just want the whole keyboard being touch bar

I'd love to try a touch-keyboard with haptic feedback. Wonder how it would type.... And I wonder how the ergonomics would compare.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Am I saying it’s a gimmick?

You replied to a post saying "it's a gimmick no one asked for" (talking about the TouchBar) by saying "No one asked for ProMotion either".

That read to me that as though you were inferring they were both gimmicks nobody asked for.
Sorry if that's not what you meant.

I guess you're just saying nobody asked for ProMotion?

Fair point & true - That said, Apple doesn't really ask anybody what they want about product decisions of basically any kind.

Gimmick or not, Apple does what they do and we are all along for the ride.

 

[2268473]

If he is a Moaning Murtle what does that make you? A Sycophant Sally? An Apple Allie? Lemming Lucy? Groupthink Gertie?
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I’m not entirely sure why my comment makes you think I am partaking in a mass moment. Apple have their faults, like all companies. But whinging online about a feature you don’t use to gain attention or traffic is rather arduous. I don’t use the Ethernet port on my MBP but I’m not going to type up a bleating blog post with complaints no one asked to hear. I don’t recall reading about Sally, Allie, Lucy or Gertie in Hogwarts, but it has been a few years since I revisited the series.
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Oh, right. Don't use any F-keys or meta keys. It'd be difficult for someone to miss the point harder than you have.

I wonder to how many decimal points the percentage of customers amount to that care about or use function or meta keys. I suspect <0.001%, maybe someone can fire an email to Schiller so we can find out.

 

[charlituna]

Beyond old models, the lowest-end 13-inch model is currently the only MacBook Pro with a standard row of function keys. It starts at $1,299.

Wait so I didn't get a delivery yesterday of a new 15 inch MacBook Pro with no touch bar

Oh wait, I did. And I just checked, you can still order it as of 5 minutes ago. So the claim there's no non touch bar 15 inch model is just wrong.

And looking at the prices honestly I don't see much difference between the top of the line prices from before the touch bar to now. Certainly not enough to scream that Apple is massively screwing folks over