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Will the next Macbook Pro have a touch screen?
- Thread starter PhiladelphiaX
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Which keynote was this from? I'd like to watch it again if its available on YouTube. Cheers.
Apple never did create a 7" tablet. They kept their word. They created a 7.95" Tablet
The iPad with a cheesy keyboard that needs batteries is no substitute for a laptop.Get an iPad and an Apple wireless keyboard. You will feel that you have a touch-screen laptop.
How about we put it this way.
The Macbook Pro will get a touchscreen when it can be used like a tablet (a la Lenovo Yoga)
Current form factor of the Macbook Pro will not get a touchscreen, it just doesn't make ergonomic sense.
The Macbook Pro will get a touchscreen when it can be used like a tablet (a la Lenovo Yoga)
Current form factor of the Macbook Pro will not get a touchscreen, it just doesn't make ergonomic sense.
No but it's actually not a bad solution. The first party keyboards from Apple can even control the volume, brightness, etc.
If they let command+tab cycle the app switcher it would be perfect.
But then that makes Apple just another "Me too". Hard to see them doing this. With only 20% of their revenue coming from the OSX side I see them putting more resources into iOS and iTV (if there's anything to that rumor).
In short... don't look for any major innovation in their OSX devices anytime soon. Also, what a lot of people are forgetting is the current trackpad and gestures which Apple pioneered. It pretty much gives you a lot of the functionality of a touch screen just the way it is. Indeed, this is what keeps me using a mac. Of course all the new PC ultra books are getting closer to this functionality and I even think MicroSoft has licensed some of the tech from Apple.
Surely you're not serious.
You honestly think Apple (or any corporation) is going to pass up on implementing a design because they're afraid of being labelled as "Me too"? I mean, look at the iPad mini, Apple ate their own words on that one.
In any event, I'm not saying Apple is going to make a touchscreen laptop, I'm saying that if it is to happen at all, it will only happen on a computer with a convertible form factor. I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility.
Yes. I do. But not out of fear - more out of spite. I truly believe Apple is that arrogant.
These tablet PCs have always been quite shoddy. Heavy and with next to zero software optimzations. Those didn't have multi touch but usually where only really usable with a pen. That is quite different.
An ultrabook/tablet hybrid is fairly light and thin. The touch input would work just as well as on current tablets. But the weight distribution in notebook mode would be way nicer.
I don't think adding enough touch support to make it worth it is all that hard. The browser like Safari is easily fixed. Preview for PDFs is also easy most of the time you will just scroll through documents. Mission control is crap but well it is with a touchpad too. Video would also work.
iTunes would need a serious rework or an extra skin for a 3rd mode next to full and mini.
Most of the magic is just adding a good driver for touch capability.
You also wouldn't have to fix anything, as most people would only use the tablet mode for surfing, reading, watching movies but not typing in word, excel or aperture.
All one needs is a decent consumption mode for touch and the rest just like it is.
Obviously an Air would go first but ultimately a 15" would work too. Have you never been lying in a hammock watching some video on the notebook or reading some stuff on the web. The keyboard is in the way. A 15" in Tablet mode would work just fine. Or put it flat on a table in a cafe and read newspapers. Much nicer on a big screen. You don't need to use it hand-held. Even an iPad is IMO already too heavy for real hand-held use.
Once you got a decent hinge that makes it work it wouldn't cost much more nor need more space. Adding the capacitive layer to the display isn't expensive either and easily doable given the price tag.
It would just be a neat extra feature for doing stuff like reading pdfs, newsites, watching videos. The new hinge would barely cost any more in manufacturing. It is definitely worth the cost even if many people would never use it.
Though again I doubt it comes soon. Might not for a long time. Depends on the Apple guys and also on how much pressure the Windows side put on them. Today there are like one hinge design for every brand name. Eventually they will figure out some smart ones. And than what is to keep them from putting it on every second thin and light notebook. The touch layer for the display isn't all that expensive either and it is a feature that helps marketing.
I think it is likely that every second ultrabook on the higher end will sport such a feature in a year after Haswell shows with its single SoC. On Windows they already have the software. They just have to build the stuff.
Apple has a bit more work ahead but once it is common on Windows, I think they will rethink what MultiFinder17 postet. That would be an idiotic way to use a touch panel on a notebook, but the fault lies with the idiotic approach not the idea of adding touch to notebook displays.
I think you need to look a bit more closely: pull-down menus, window open/close/maximise controls, lots of other icons and toolbars are too small for touch use. Furthermore, some of the underlying logic of the UI changes if you move to touch: for instance, not having the concept of 'current pointer location' changes a lot of things. No, it's not rocket science, but applications would need a 'tablet mode' to be usable.
Also, if you're thinking of "hammock mode" then there are other constraints that would make it more desirable to use a dedicated tablet - size/weight (if you want a 15" iPad fine - it will always come out lighter than a laptop) and battery life (tablets can get away with lower-power CPU, slower Flash memory etc. so they'll always beat general-purpose laptops there).
The possibilities I wonder about are:
"New iBook" - basically an iPad with a keyboard. However, you can already do that with a bluetooth keyboard/case. I got one and wasn't impressed - it bulked up the iPad and made it far less convenient for casual use.
"MacBook DS" - replace the keyboard with a second touch-sensitive display. By default it shows a keyboard and trackpad areas, but 'enabled' programs could turn it into an interactive input device.
"MacBook with an iPad instead of a lid" - sort of what you've been describing, but in 'tablet mode' the Mac shuts down and you're using an iPad running iOS. But then again, how much faff is it really to carry a MacBook *and* a tablet (or a big phone).
No, that's a flip convertible, there have been plenty of those for years. What I said was a transparent lid which is the screen (from one side) when used as a laptop, but can also be visible from the other side of the display when the lid is shut. I don't think the technology is there yet, but no reason it couldn't be in the future...
There will be a touchscreen on everything
Everything in the future will have a touchscreen. And everything will find integration with smart technology. It's just a matter of time until the iPhones magically fold out into tablets; perhaps even turning into laptops! The possibilities are endless. Exciting times.
Everything in the future will have a touchscreen. And everything will find integration with smart technology. It's just a matter of time until the iPhones magically fold out into tablets; perhaps even turning into laptops! The possibilities are endless. Exciting times.
Touchscreen is inevitable
The future is indeed touchscreen.
Regardless of all the points brought up to argue against the need, apple is a consumer company and the needs and wants of the consumer will dictate future design.
Apple has raised an entire generation and trained them to interact with computers via touch...it is inevitable that touch will be integrated into all its computers.
Steve's objections to touchscreen are duly noted as were his objections to a smaller sized ipad which is now a consumer hit.
Touchscreen might not be the next refresh, but touch is coming to mac book near you.
The future is indeed touchscreen.
Regardless of all the points brought up to argue against the need, apple is a consumer company and the needs and wants of the consumer will dictate future design.
Apple has raised an entire generation and trained them to interact with computers via touch...it is inevitable that touch will be integrated into all its computers.
Steve's objections to touchscreen are duly noted as were his objections to a smaller sized ipad which is now a consumer hit.
Touchscreen might not be the next refresh, but touch is coming to mac book near you.
If Apple thought touchscreen laptops were the future, don't you think they would have released them already by now?
If there's one company who mastered touch input before anyone else (and still do today), it's Apple. There's no reason they would have waited this long like "Oh it's just that nobody at Apple had the idea to implement touch in laptops when we saw the iPhone getting successful".
Of course they considered it. And that's exactly why we don't have touchscreen Macs today. They were inspired by it for gestures but instead chose to put them where they truly make you productive: on your trackpad.
Say what you want about Apple's marketing terms (Retina, revolutionary, magical) but I truly think they are one of the only tech manufacturers who actually make sure a certain tech is truly useful before forcing a gimmick that only looks good in marketing.
Windows laptop OEMs rather bring a new input method than a good input method. They've never really cared about making a good trackpad, giving good gesture support, and now they don't care about any detail either when trying to make a touch display. They don't want to give a good touch experience, they just want to give a touch experience period.
Why? Because that's the new trend. Because that's what makes a laptop seem modern. Because every other manufacturer does it so it must be the good thing to do right? Because Microsoft said touchscreen laptops were the future. Nevermind that Microsoft has proven several times in the past years that they have no clue where the future is headed, or that they basically just throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks pretty much every time resulting in 1 OS release out of 2 that gets significant criticism (and the one after responding to said criticism).
Apple is not one of those hardware manufacturers with no experience in UI/UX that blindly jump into Microsoft's bandwagon. They are confident they actually know more than Microsoft when it comes to UX, and they can do their own research and prototypes and conclude by themselves what is useful and what is not.
Trust me that they have determined this was not a while ago (a decade ago perhaps), long before Microsoft and their hardware OEMs even knew they would jump into their touchscreen laptop trend in 2013.
Edit: And for those who claim consumers demand touchscreen laptops, source? All I see are disappointingly low sales figures (<10%) for touchscreen laptops (even when considering only Windows 8 laptops, which are supposed to be touch-optimized) mainly because touch-enabled laptops are a bit pricier than their non-touch counterpart, proving consumers are not willing to pay more for touch input. As time goes by, touchscreens will become cheaper and come with any cheap laptop whether you want it or not, skewing any stats that are supposed to prove demand for this tech (reminds you of something?).
If there's one company who mastered touch input before anyone else (and still do today), it's Apple. There's no reason they would have waited this long like "Oh it's just that nobody at Apple had the idea to implement touch in laptops when we saw the iPhone getting successful".
Of course they considered it. And that's exactly why we don't have touchscreen Macs today. They were inspired by it for gestures but instead chose to put them where they truly make you productive: on your trackpad.
Say what you want about Apple's marketing terms (Retina, revolutionary, magical) but I truly think they are one of the only tech manufacturers who actually make sure a certain tech is truly useful before forcing a gimmick that only looks good in marketing.
Windows laptop OEMs rather bring a new input method than a good input method. They've never really cared about making a good trackpad, giving good gesture support, and now they don't care about any detail either when trying to make a touch display. They don't want to give a good touch experience, they just want to give a touch experience period.
Why? Because that's the new trend. Because that's what makes a laptop seem modern. Because every other manufacturer does it so it must be the good thing to do right? Because Microsoft said touchscreen laptops were the future. Nevermind that Microsoft has proven several times in the past years that they have no clue where the future is headed, or that they basically just throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks pretty much every time resulting in 1 OS release out of 2 that gets significant criticism (and the one after responding to said criticism).
Apple is not one of those hardware manufacturers with no experience in UI/UX that blindly jump into Microsoft's bandwagon. They are confident they actually know more than Microsoft when it comes to UX, and they can do their own research and prototypes and conclude by themselves what is useful and what is not.
Trust me that they have determined this was not a while ago (a decade ago perhaps), long before Microsoft and their hardware OEMs even knew they would jump into their touchscreen laptop trend in 2013.
Edit: And for those who claim consumers demand touchscreen laptops, source? All I see are disappointingly low sales figures (<10%) for touchscreen laptops (even when considering only Windows 8 laptops, which are supposed to be touch-optimized) mainly because touch-enabled laptops are a bit pricier than their non-touch counterpart, proving consumers are not willing to pay more for touch input. As time goes by, touchscreens will become cheaper and come with any cheap laptop whether you want it or not, skewing any stats that are supposed to prove demand for this tech (reminds you of something?).
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My funny Asus S200e got a touchscreen and it comes with Windows 8 witch handles this well. But because of a great touchpad and because touching the screen is boarding and tiring, it's useless. I never use this feature more than a few times. Fed up with finger print everywhere.
A great multitouch touchpad is all what we need for a good laptop.
A great multitouch touchpad is all what we need for a good laptop.
I think the recent Windows 8 screw up (from the fact Windows Vista did better in the market) shows Microsoft is completely out of touch.
I can just imagine Ballmer looking over the shoulders of some lowly designer.
Designer: I don't think this touchscreen stuff is a good idea.
Ballmer: I LIKE IT!!!
Designer: No one needs/wants this.
Ballmer: I LIKE IT!!!
Designer: Fine, it will ship out late next year. And because I'm a nice guy I won't say I told you so.
I can just imagine Ballmer looking over the shoulders of some lowly designer.
Designer: I don't think this touchscreen stuff is a good idea.
Ballmer: I LIKE IT!!!
Designer: No one needs/wants this.
Ballmer: I LIKE IT!!!
Designer: Fine, it will ship out late next year. And because I'm a nice guy I won't say I told you so.
A touchscreen laptop as demonstrated by Steve Jobs is still "ergonomically terrible".
The Surface Pro and Windows convertible ultrabooks on the other hand are a nice compromise solution. And further to that point Microsoft bringing back the traditional desktop with Windows Blue is Microsoft acknowledging the viability of the traditional MacBook, in a twisted kind of way. The physical keyboard + pointing device will be around for a long time yet.
The Surface Pro and Windows convertible ultrabooks on the other hand are a nice compromise solution. And further to that point Microsoft bringing back the traditional desktop with Windows Blue is Microsoft acknowledging the viability of the traditional MacBook, in a twisted kind of way. The physical keyboard + pointing device will be around for a long time yet.
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Hell to the nooooo
OSX would not work well at all with a touch interface, also it's very unergonomic to hold your arm over a keyboard to touch the screen.
The only time it makes sense is when those laptops fold over to become a screen, but Apple obviously won't do that.
OSX would not work well at all with a touch interface, also it's very unergonomic to hold your arm over a keyboard to touch the screen.
The only time it makes sense is when those laptops fold over to become a screen, but Apple obviously won't do that.