Apple is reportedly building a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, over a decade after it first dismissed the touchscreen laptop category as being a fad. “You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user,” Apple CEO Tim Cook famously said in an earnings call back in 2012.
According to reliable Apple leakster Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is planning to put an OLED-based touchscreen MacBook Pro into production as soon as next fall. The device will likely run the full-blown version of macOS, and not iPadOS, meaning the Cupertino giant is planning to do the exact same thing Microsoft did with Surface and Windows 8 in 2012, and again in 2015 with Windows 10.
Famously, Windows 8 was met with strong criticism right out of the gate for being too touch focused. It was clearly designed for the new wave of 2-in-1 laptop touchscreen devices, but the world wasn’t ready for such a category just yet. With hindsight, the touch experience that debuted on Windows 8 was ahead of its time. It was fast, fluid, and beautiful to look at and interact with.
Now, Apple is planning to do the exact same thing with macOS. Apple users have already noticed that the design of the latest OS version seems very touch-optimized, with buttons and general system elements now appearing larger with more empty space, as if to accommodate for finger input.
That could also be a result of Apple converging its design guidelines across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, but it’s clear that touch input design ideologies are finally making their way to the Mac platform. macOS can even run iPad apps, positioning the Mac as a contender for one of the best touchscreen laptop platforms out there.
For a long time, Apple fans have claimed that the idea of a touchscreen on a laptop makes no sense. I think that’s an ignorant claim, from people who haven’t actually used a touchscreen laptop before. Being able to reach out and confirm a dialog popup or dismiss a notification is liberating. You don’t have to use the touchscreen all the time, but it’s nice that it’s there.
Of course, Apple has actually been building its own toaster fridges for years. The iPad Pro is Apple’s stab at Microsoft’s 2-in-1 idea, especially so today as iPadOS becomes more and more desktop-like. So, it’s no surprise to me that Apple is finally considering adding a touchscreen to its flagship MacBook lineup, because they ultimately want to make the product better, and Microsoft already figured out how to do that years ago.
Microsoft released its first touchscreen computer in 2012 with the Surface RT and Surface Pro, though one might argue those were tablets with keyboard accessories like the iPad is today. It wasn’t until 2015 where Microsoft launched its first touchscreen laptop with the Surface Book, which was an incredible device that I wish Microsoft still made to this day.
In 2017, Microsoft finally built a straight up laptop with a touchscreen. The Surface Laptop was, and still is, Windows’ MacBook Air, but with a touchscreen, better display, more ports, and overall better design. Actually, the current Surface Laptop 7 is an overall better laptop than the MacBook Air M4 if you think about it. But I digress, Apple is finally on the right track when it comes to laptops.
What are your thoughts on Apple finally building a laptop that can compete with Surface when it comes to touch input? Let us know in the comments.
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