You could also just map a different keyboard shortcut. Maybe something with the “esc” button? Unless you have a touchbar with a virtual escape key. But then we’re not talking about this standalone keyboard anymore ?
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Magic Keyboard With Touch ID Costs $50 Extra for Base Model M1 iMac
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Did I miss a rant thread about no Face ID in the new iMac. I wonder why we are talking about Touch ID when Face ID would have been perfect.
All I can think of is that maybe there is some new radio that is not in the Intel m?
But I honestly do not put it past Apple at all to simply enforce this as a way to drive upgrades.
The longer one is around Apple, the more one realizes that this company is really about money and almost nothing else at this point.
Why have backlit keyboards on laptops then?
Pretty much all keyboards come with LED backlighting these days. To not have them is actually not the norm.
There’s more of an argument to be made for not having backlit keyboards on laptops due to the size of the chassis, laptop battery life, etc. No such constraints exist with a stand alone keyboard, unless those constraints are purely artificial.
This is why I am deep into AAPL stock. If this company is all about making money, and knows how to do it and does it well, well then I want to be a part of it and make money off it for myself. I've done well so far.
The dark grey iMac Pro peripherals were initially only sold with the computers, but were released for standalone sale something like 6 months later. I fully expect these to be sold as accessories by this fall.
I agree! It really is an awful deal. I think Apple is engaging in price decoy marketing, something they often do. They will jack up the price of the inferior item to make the more expensive item appear to be a better deal. They are betting that people will buy more than they need because of the small price difference. You see that with Apple TV boxes, where you can double the storage for only $20! Even though most people only stream and won't even use the 32GB in the smaller one.
I also think the smaller drives in these iMacs is so that people will let MacOS "manage storage" and need to purchase more iCloud drive space. Recurring services revenue, Apple's new favorite thing.
I need to constantly remind myself that those of us here who talk about this stuff are not the typical Apple customer. We need more ports and more storage than a vast majority of people out there, many of whom will in the end buy more than they need because it appears to be a better deal.
My God… I just noticed that this “new” keyboard did not adopt the inverted T that is across the MacBook lineup now.
What?
What?
Well, if they give you everything, there is nothing to "innovate" next time around.
The touch-Id thing on the current MacBook Air is also a button and it locks the screen when pressed.
I expect the standalone keyboard to be the same.
I assume the Touch ID key also locks the Mac when clicked, as it does on M1 MacBooks with Touch ID.
They should be, but just like the space gray options. These will probably be available in the next few months by themselves.
It's funny people think they need this on a desktop PC. I was working on nothing more than candlelight last night just for fun, and not once did I think to myself it was hard to see the white keyboard keys. I mean you're sitting in front of what is essentially a giant rectangular lamp.
With Apple I think it might be two reasons.
I have both an Imac (with keyboard) and a Macbook Pro.
My Imac has white keys so I can always see the keys perfectly fine from the screen light even in a dark room. There really is no need for backlight in order for me to see the keys.
On top of that stand alone keyboards are mostly used in stationary set ups where most people either have their room light on or can just use a lamp.
With laptops you can be anywhere and might not have access to your own light and macbook pros have black keys which makes it harder to see the keys and generally smaller screens with less light to illuminate.
It's likely when Apple first made the magic keyboard they tested it, looked down and saw they could still see the keys even in a dark room and probably said leave it like that.
Now the space grey magic keyboards MIGHT be a different story, I don't have one so maybe you can see them fine, maybe not, but I doubt Apple was going to change the design for just those, especially since they don't even sell as many as the white. Plus like point 2, most people will either use them in lit rooms or can just get a lamp or maybe even have ample enough light from a big desktop screen. Plus these are bluetooth keyboards, you're going to drain the battery quicker for something that's not NEEDED. If I wasn't conscious of turning off my backlight I would be more annoyed by the shorter battery life than the non existent absolute need for a backlight.
Back lighting on stand alone keyboards just look and seem really cool. Of course I'd think that I'd want one if it's available but I've never used my Imac in a dark room and said "Damn I really NEED backlit keys right now" because I can always see the keys perfectly fine.