Would you buy/want a Macbook Pro with a touchscreen?

[maflynn]

.would you want Apple to release a Macbook Pro with a touchscreen?

Overall it's a nice option, I don't use my touchscreen as the primary method, but when I'm on the go, its nice to have. I think many people here could leverage the use of it, at times, but it wouldn't be the primary method of interacting with the OS.

Speaking of the OS, macOS isn't a touch-first operating system, and so there would need some significant work to make that happen. Just look at the pain users went through with windows 8, there was a lot of things wrong with win8, but MS had struggled with the touch-first UX to be sure.

 

[revmacian]

Then turn translucency off. It's the first thing I do when installing macOS.
System Preferences –> Accessibility –>Display –> Reduce Transparency

I tried that.. it makes the dock and menubar an ugly bright grey. How do you avoid that? (see below screenshot)

 

[dk001]

Every computing device I own / use has a touchscreen EXCEPT my MB.
If they do not, my next MB will be a Linux/Windows hybrid device.

 

[BootLoxes]

Nope. I hate marks on my screens. Also from my experience using touch on windows, it was a nightmare. Id rather keep my touch experience limited only to ios devices

 

[700-Grizz]

Im surprised Apple has not already come out with Macbook Pro (TS) it will be here soon I bet

 

[Mr Screech]

An idea so terrible, apple will probably do it.

 

[pcd213]

I don’t lust after it like some others do, but I only want touch on Mac OS because I’d like Apple to make a 2-in-1 MacBook Pro.

 

[hipnetic]

Again, I think people are thinking about this the wrong way. The screen should be a detachable iPad, running iPadOS, with an A-whatever chip and its own battery. When docked to the keyboard, the screen becomes a "dumb" screen for OSX, with another battery, an Intel chip, etc. inside of the keyboard half.

 

[Hazmat401]

It makes no since because I have a keyboard 🤷🏾‍♂️

 

[pcd213]

Those are my thoughts too.....they can do it but they are afraid of hurting other products they offer.

Apple speaks our of both sides of their mouth. Transparently, to Apple press, Schiller has talked about pushing product groups to be better than other product groups...a way to bolster the whole line through friendly competition. Steve and others have often talked about cannibalizing yourself before a competitor does it. In principle, I‘m sad that Apple won’t cannibalize itself in this regard purely out of greed. It’s clear that they don’t want to jeopardize profits from the iPad, and they want customers to own both.

 

[Sanpete]

In principle, I‘m sad that Apple won’t cannibalize itself in this regard purely out of greed. It’s clear that they don’t want to jeopardize profits from the iPad, and they want customers to own both.

Judging from the poll results here, that may not be the main reason. People assume a lot we don't really know.

 

[pcd213]

Judging from the poll results here, that may not be the main reason. People assume a lot we don't really know.

We’re all assuming, as are you. We don’t know what Tim and his direct reports are thinking and planning.

 

[smirking]

Maybe afraid of canalizing iPad sales?

Apple has shown that they're not afraid of cannibalizing their own sales for the right opportunity. They've done it time and time again with moves that put off their own customer base.

I'm really conflicted about this. There are cases in which I think touch would be useful, but most of the time, I'm of the opinion that having a dual touch/pointer OS would create a huge worst of both worlds mess. I would say leave it up to the user to decide when and where touch makes sense, but I've seen how badly a dual mode OS confuses people who are not expert computer users.

I have an elderly aunt who never touches the trackpad of her PC. Navigates entirely (and awkwardly) by dragging her mouse pointer around on the vertical screen before her and it's not because she never got used to using a mouse. Her previous PC didn't have a touch screen and she was just fine with a mouse. Having a touchscreen conditioned her to never touch the mouse and her computer competency has gone down as a result because the menu elements exposed to the touch interface is limited.

I've felt the pull myself too. I used her computer and there were some times in which touching the screen made more sense and after a little while I started to touch the screen when I should have been reaching to the trackpad. The problem isn't the tech. The problem is us.

 

[Sanpete]

We’re all assuming, as are you. We don’t know what Tim and his direct reports are thinking and planning.

Just to be clear, my language above reflects the fact that I'm not assuming anything here, but I agree with your last sentence.

 

[Ploki]

Maybe they should side-car it first to give us a taste

 

[benshive]

A very good touchpad which Apple has basically perfected in their laptops at this point is a way better and more convenient pointing device than lifting your arm to touch the display with each click in my opinion.

 

[Velin]

No. I already have Apple touchscreen devices. They are called iPad and iPhone.

 

[49erRedGold]

Personally I would love to have a MBP with a touchscreen. It would offer more functionality than my iPad. I know Apple has the technical ability to do this...I'm just curious as ti why they haven't done so yet?
Maybe afraid of canalizing iPad sales?

I don't see any benefit of having a touchscreen on a MacBook Pro. Touchscreens on laptops are stupid. There's not a single thing that can be done on the screen that can't be done on the trackpad. At least the Touch Bar offers a lot of functionality that would take a lot of time looking through contextual menus for. Touch screen laptops are pointless unless they can do more than the trackpad can and they don't. The worse is leaving fingerprints all over the screen.

 

[Natzoo]

I don't see any benefit of having a touchscreen on a MacBook Pro. Touchscreens on laptops are stupid. There's not a single thing that can be done on the screen that can't be done on the trackpad. At least the Touch Bar offers a lot of functionality that would take a lot of time looking through contextual menus for. Touch screen laptops are pointless unless they can do more than the trackpad can and they don't. The worse is leaving fingerprints all over the screen.

I would vote to remove the touch bar, honestly, it just slows me down while typing. Also, the lack of feedback is annoying. The touch bar is cool for the mac book and air variants, but for the pro models, it's horrible.

 

[satchmo]

I voted yes, but it’s not super critical for me given the affordability of iPads.
My iPad is connected to a keyboard case 95% of the time and find touch comes in handy.
Then again, this is iPad OS so the UI is optimized.

 

[DanMan619]

Touchscreen Macbook Pro? Everything else the same/nothing else compromised. I wouldn't need it, but i'm definitely not against it.

 

[pshufd]

My main use of a MacBook Pro is hooked up to one or two large high-resolution monitors, a logitec mouse and a mechanical keyboard in clamshell mode oriented vertically. Any touchscreen would be inaccessible.

 

[49erRedGold]

I would vote to remove the touch bar, honestly, it just slows me down while typing. Also, the lack of feedback is annoying. The touch bar is cool for the mac book and air variants, but for the pro models, it's horrible.

I would love to know how a Touch Bar slows down your typing when it's not even part of the keyboard?

 

[staggerlee41]

I have a work issued Windows laptop with touch screen and I never use it. There's just no reason to. I don't want finger prints on my notebook screen. That's what iPads are for.

 

[ProTruckDriver]

I hate screens that are dirty and full of fingerprints.