Apple will get rid of them and replace with touchscreen/ virtual ones, lol: https://mashable.com/2018/08/06/app...s/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#FaLd6pfj5sql
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If you hate the keyboards...
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Nah, nowhere in the near future and when they will/if they will, it will be the day i will never buy a macbook again. 
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That's not happening, and if it did, that would mark the moment, I leave the Mac platform.
It would kind of negate the whole touchbar. I don't imagine them having both touchscreen laptops with a touchbar. While I agree the touchbar is not useful, it will likely be a while before Apple reverses course - if ever given these things sell like hot-cakes anyway.
Worse idea ever. I pay $200 for mechanical keyboards for the feel and travel.
Same here, I’m all for innovation and that sort of thing, but I need a physical keyboard period. I have tried typing on iPads and what not and it just doesn’t work for me.
I don’t see Apple doing this on the “Pro” lineup though. Such a laptop with a touchscreen keyboard would be a niche product.
I got rid of my iPad 3rd gen years ago because I didn’t like typing on it. I have the same feeling with my 2018 iPad. I’m currently using it until I can get my very first Mac in a few months. I love typing on a regular keyboard and holding a mouse in my hand better.
Pretty sure that was first brought up several years ago, and comes up every several years when someone stumbles across it and can make a quick click-bait post about it...
It'll happen eventually, it's the natural progression of things, but it's not happening next year, or likely in the next 10.
It'll happen eventually, it's the natural progression of things, but it's not happening next year, or likely in the next 10.
Lenovo (I think?) actually has a machine like this. I tried one of them at MicroCenter once and it was so, so bad. Total garbage for typing more than a web address or something.
I'd be done with Mac notebooks.
I'd be done with Mac notebooks.
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I doubt they would bother even trying that... what I'm wondering is if they are trying to make one of those electrostatic or localized haptic feedback mechanisms that make virtual keys "feel real". There have been some interesting demos of those at CES.
https://www.techradar.com/news/macbook-may-get-a-touchscreen-keyboard-with-haptic-feedback-keys
https://www.techradar.com/news/macbook-may-get-a-touchscreen-keyboard-with-haptic-feedback-keys
Just remember Apple wasn't nearly the first to implement touchscreens on mobile phones (or tablets).
But they were the first ones to get it right.
If (big big if) and when it'll be ready, I believe it will be done so it will be an important step forward for input devices.
But they were the first ones to get it right.
If (big big if) and when it'll be ready, I believe it will be done so it will be an important step forward for input devices.
Acer made one of these and well it was a belly flop.
Acer Iconia from 2010 I believe.
Will be a very long time before this actually happens but at some point I'm sure it will though.
Acer Iconia from 2010 I believe.
Will be a very long time before this actually happens but at some point I'm sure it will though.
Well, as it stands, macOS is not a touch first OS, and seeing the teething issues Microsoft had by making windows touch first, I'd say its a huge undertaking. I know MS made massive changes to the OS, to make it a tablet OS first and virtually ignored the desktop experience with windows 8, but the point remains it was a painful process.
[doublepost=1533641346][/doublepost]Also consider those who have other then laptops, i.e., Mac Pro, iMac, Mac minis, Having a virtual keyboard for them, makes no sense.
It didn't work out for Lenovo (typing accuracy/speed diminished greatly) and even having just a strip on the current MacBooks (TouchBar) people complained about the lack of feedback/accidental presses etc, so if Apple was to ever implement this, it would be nothing like how Lenovo implemented it on it's Yoga Book.
A durable dust/water resistant keyboard is interesting in theory, but seems pretty hard to execute.
A durable dust/water resistant keyboard is interesting in theory, but seems pretty hard to execute.
I could imagine them doing it for a foldable iPhone/iPad thingy. It wouldn't make sense, but I could still see them doing it.
Nah, nowhere in the near future and when they will/if they will, it will be the day i will never buy a macbook again.
Totally agree with this.
How fast people forget the real keys on mobile phones and the outrage when touchscreens were coming out...
Very true--I thought you'd have to pry my Blackberry 8830 out of my cold, dead hands. I didn't hop on the iPhone bandwagon until the 4S.
Not the same thing, you don't write as much on your phone as you do on your computer, so you cannot compare that. Let's not forget that not everyone used blackberry's and writing on a numeric keyboard and pressing 3-4 times to get to the letter you needed was a pain in the ass, so touchscreen was a well needed change.
biggest issue with touch keyboard is much more likely get accidental key presses when typing over a normal keyboard.
I had a android powered sony tablet P which had keyboard in lower screen.
I loved this folding tablet until GPU failed.
I had a android powered sony tablet P which had keyboard in lower screen.
I loved this folding tablet until GPU failed.