Will the touch bar ever come back?

I am interested in buying a new MacBook Pro but all the updated versions out now do not have the Touch Bar. My current MacBook has it and I love it very much. Do we know if it will ever make a comeback? I do not want to purchase a new computer if it has a chance of coming back. Thanks.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Jun 2, 2023 11:06 AM

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47 replies

Oct 24, 2023 7:56 PM in response to bradleyk27

I'm really curious how those who love the Touchbar actually use it. I can see some very small very specific use cases for some limited number of apps where the Touchbar could be highly useful, but for the majority of macOS apps out there I have never seen the Touchbar have any added benefit.


I really would like to know & understand exactly how people who like the Touchbar use it to improve their use of the laptop and their workflow.

Oct 24, 2023 8:11 PM in response to HWTech

That “highly useful” part is what touchbar comes as a handyman.

apps which I use the touchbar for

1) Xcode. Debug run jump.

2) music

3) brightness contrast

4) zoom calls

5) screen records

6) browser tabs.


literally makes life easy

plus it’s highly customizable nature adds value to many other apps. Such as preview. Photoshop. Premiere. And more.

Oct 25, 2023 6:41 AM in response to HWTech

HWTech wrote:

I'm really curious how those who love the Touchbar actually use it. I can see some very small very specific use cases for some limited number of apps where the Touchbar could be highly useful, but for the majority of macOS apps out there I have never seen the Touchbar have any added benefit.

I really would like to know & understand exactly how people who like the Touchbar use it to improve their use of the laptop and their workflow.

I liked it. Available options changed depending on context, which I always appreciate. But, I've found I haven't missed it much since I bought my newer MBA.

Oct 31, 2023 1:33 PM in response to kevjazzele

I feel your pain regarding the Touch Bar, as I used it quite often on my 2016 MBP. I've since moved on to a 2023 15" MBA, which doesn't have one. Once in a while I miss it, but I'm slowly getting over it.


While none of us here can speak for Apple, as only Apple knows the reason for leaving it off new Macs, I can guess some of Apple's reasons:

  • Added cost (when compared to standard function keys)
  • Software developer support wasn't as universal as Apple had hoped when it was first introduced.
  • The most frequently used Touch Bar keys (for me) were the volume keys, which are standard function bar keys (though not as polished as the Touch Bar keys)
  • For quite a few users, the Touch Bar required some input changes. (And, although everyone wants progress, nobody seems to want change).


My guess, though, is the added cost was the primary driver of Apple's decision.

Oct 31, 2023 2:38 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

MacMikeInOK wrote:

• I feel your pain regarding the Touch Bar, as I used it quite often on my 2016 MBP. I've since moved on to a 2023 15" MBA, which doesn't have one. Once in a while I miss it, but I'm slowly getting over it.

While none of us here can speak for Apple, as only Apple knows the reason for leaving it off new Macs, I can guess some of Apple's reasons:
Added cost (when compared to standard function keys)
• Software developer support wasn't as universal as Apple had hoped when it was first introduced.
• The most frequently used Touch Bar keys (for me) were the volume keys, which are standard function bar keys (though not as polished as the Touch Bar keys)
• For quite a few users, the Touch Bar required some input changes. (And, although everyone wants progress, nobody seems to want change).

My guess, though, is the added cost was the primary driver of Apple's decision.

I think there was also the issue of the added cost of repair if it failed. I think there were customers who didn't like that.


It's always sad when a very cool feature like that doesn't catch on. I was heartbroken when Jobs discontinued the Newton. But, a few years went by and there was the iPhone. And, after another few years, the iPhone was as cool as the Newton.

Oct 31, 2023 4:34 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

MacMikeInOK wrote:

While none of us here can speak for Apple, as only Apple knows the reason for leaving it off new Macs, I can guess some of Apple's reasons:
• Software developer support wasn't as universal as Apple had hoped when it was first introduced.
• For quite a few users, the Touch Bar required some input changes. (And, although everyone wants progress, nobody seems to want change).


For people who were software developers with a Unix or Linux background, the lack of a physical ESC key on the original Touch Bar Macs was a definite minus. The ESC key is very heavily used in Emacs (among other editors), and touch-typists did not care for a flat virtual button as a substitute for a real key.


Later Touch Bar Macs remedied this problem by including a physical ESC key, and just having the Touch Bar take the place of the F-keys.

Will the touch bar ever come back?

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