You can charge it through the case which frees up a single USB-C/Thunderbolt port on the iPad. Another USB-C/Thunderbolt port would be nice, and arguably even necessary for extreme power users, but for most people a USB-C/Thunderbolt hub can get you all of the dedicated ports you're asking for, and I'd argue that when you're wanting to connect multiple things, you're probably sitting at a desk, so you can leave the hub there (and pack it in a bag to go), but the savings in size/weight is worth it for when you want to just pick up the iPad and use it or take it with you (when you're not expecting to need to plug it into multiple things).
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MacBook Ultra: Everything We Know About Apple's OLED Touchscreen Mac
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Vincent Hanna
Suspended
Sigh. For the millionth time, even with a hypothetical $1000 price increase for even better specs, it is not "crazy expensive" for its intended professional market. If you are complaining about the price, then you are a Hobbyist with no business model to support such a machine as an investment.
You only want it, you don't need it. So it becomes an expense, a luxury. And like any such luxury (like a nice car, or a nice vacation, or a high end TV, or nice set of golf clubs) you can save up for it or not. But you aren't being ripped off by its mere existence.
You only want it, you don't need it. So it becomes an expense, a luxury. And like any such luxury (like a nice car, or a nice vacation, or a high end TV, or nice set of golf clubs) you can save up for it or not. But you aren't being ripped off by its mere existence.
The timetables in the "Chips" section seem very aggressive, especially considering the current squeeze on semiconductor fabrication capacity. M6 in late 2026 and M7 Pro/Max in late 2027. Maybe Apple is planning to skip the "base" M7 and only have M7 Pro and Max versions.
A touchscreen mac laptop? Nope, cant say I have ever been interested in this. Reminds me of the action bar thing, which very predictably died on its ass. This will be the same, a gimmick only few will care about. Interested in powerful computers still, which is what they should be focussing on. Not touchscreens. Its all getting a bit microsoft, not good!
Tagbert
macrumors 604
So touch is OK if you call it an iPad but heaven forbid that you have the same on something called a Mac?
Steve was arguing against the naive idea that if you had touch, you would only use touch and would have to hold your arm up all the time. That is not how people actually use touch on devices with multiple input methods. They switch back and forth between touch/trackpad/keyboard depending on which action feels best for a given action. I find using touch sometimes can be a break from some of the repetitive motions required for mouse/trackpad and keyboard.
Tagbert
macrumors 604
As someone who is preparing for retirement (aka one of your old folks), I am looking forward to finally getting touch on a Mac.
Once the M6 and M7 Pro/Max displace the M5 MBPs on Apple's web site, you'll be able to get still-very-powerful new M5 Pro and Max MBPs at reduced prices from the secondary sellers like B&H and Amazon.
Tagbert
macrumors 604
You are speculating on drawbacks of which you have no evidence.
The touch used in these screens is supposed to be the kind that is fully integrated into the OLED, not some resistive film on top of the display. I’m typing this on an iPad Pro with the dual layer OLED and the colors are spot on and there is no burnin.
There doesn’t need to be any reduced functionality of MacOS since this will not be the sole input method. You don’t need to fully redesign the interface for an alternate input method.
ikramerica
macrumors 68030
A touch interface on a desktop machine requires all displays to have it, or at least the main display.
If you use your laptop on the road or as a single display only, touch makes sense. As soon as you dock it, unless it’s still your primary display, then what?
This was a similar limitation of the touch bar. They never created a touchbar external keyboard, so you were asking developers to design for it only when a MBP had it, and you were asking users to adapt to its use when available and remember other shortcuts or whatever when it wasn’t.
Touch is okay on a chromebook, but is mostly meant for portable devices where the primary mode of use is direct contact with the screen.
Powerbooky
macrumors demi-god
I highly doubt that it will be a success. It might turn out to be the same as Apple has tried with the Touchbar.
Anyone I know that bought a laptop with a touchscreen, only used that briefly. They all had to have it, but ended up back using the physical keyboard and a mouse/trackpad.
Unless applications are specificaly developed for touch screen do work, I don't see it work for the current software being use. So many people that use an iPad at work also bought a case that has a physical keyboard and track pad (or even a wireless mouse).
Anyone I know that bought a laptop with a touchscreen, only used that briefly. They all had to have it, but ended up back using the physical keyboard and a mouse/trackpad.
Unless applications are specificaly developed for touch screen do work, I don't see it work for the current software being use. So many people that use an iPad at work also bought a case that has a physical keyboard and track pad (or even a wireless mouse).
What are the technological drawbacks? Where is this reduced functionality of macOS you speak of? We've already got the version of macOS that's going to be on the touch screen MacBook. They didn't turn it into iPadOS.
Reduced screen quality, I'm not seeing it. Apple's tandem OLED displays are better than the MacBook Pro displays - not massively, but where is this argument of reduced quality coming from?
How does having the option to do a bit of scrolling or whatever with your fingers actually hamper the experience? I sometimes use an iPad Pro on a Magic Keyboard, and even in that scenario it is nice to be able to touch the screen sometimes.
A touch-first interface, sure. But macOS is not a touch-first interface. MacBooks will simply be able to accommodate some iPad gestures. There is no drawback.
I believe you mean "eyewatering".
Mouthwatering is typically a good thing.
Flight Plan
macrumors 65816
Then don't touch it. Or wash your damned hands. Or just blow your nose instead of jamming your fingers up in there!
I'm kidding. A little. 😉
Not only does "not everything has to be for everyone" ring 100% true, it's a fact that it is "the rich" (or at least people willing to work hard enough) to come up with the money and help fund future R&D by purchasing all those newfangled things that the 98% reject.
At one time, the 98% rejected automobiles, at first by claiming that the human body couldn't withstand moving through air and space any faster than 20 MPH without being crushed by air pressure, and later by waving our buggy whips in the air while yelling that nothing is better than a good horse and carriage.
Not every innovation is a good one. But it is the 2% who have not just the money but also the VISION who play an important part in future innovation. All by buying the products that the 98% either don't like or outright resist in anger.
So don't touch it. But I'm really curious; are you one of those barbarians who put your fingers in your nose and then in pancake syrup, and then on a touch screen?
Have some dignity man!
Just kidding. A little. 😏
Me too!
Are you one of those people who wears glasses and never cleans them? Asking for a friend!
I do not get why everybody is so up in arms over a touch screen. You'd think somebody said a mean thing to their dog!
Flight Plan
macrumors 65816
Yes, I hate it when I'm forced to pay for the trackpad. And the keyboard! And I really hate paying for that computer case. And who needs a battery? After all, the thing is on my desk folded up and plugged into the wall.
I just wish Apple would see my needs and just ship me all the electronics. Yeah, just throw all that junk in a box and launch it in a trebuchet at my house. I'll get my soldering gun and figure it all out.
😱 🤣
Vincent Hanna
Suspended
It's bizarre. I suppose people equate touch screen computers with Windows laptops, where the touch experience is truly ****.
But a MacBook where IF you decide to touch it, it reacts like an iPad? There's no downside there.
In fact, I see there being upside in the screen being easier to clean. I don't know if anyone has noticed just how much easier an iPad screen is to clean compared to a MacBook Pro - whatever coating they put on screens that are intended to be touched makes them far less of a hassle to clean.
LouisMac90
macrumors regular
When this thing releases (if it even exists) the lead time to get your hands on one maybe very difficult going off the lead times for a base Macbook Air M5 13inch in the UK with delivery or collection in store starting from 16th September its crazy.
That Dynamic Island needs to be thin.
Otherwise it'll look like ****, when contrasting next to a near borderless bezel.
Otherwise it'll look like ****, when contrasting next to a near borderless bezel.
So this won’t have a cellular modem? Why bother with the touchscreen either way? IF the iPad pro’s with Magic Keyboard didn’t exist it would had been more feasible, but i mean to each their own.