Will the touch bar ever come back?

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:

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• Software developer support wasn't as universal as Apple had hoped when it was first introduced.

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• 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.

Apple looked extensively at touch input. They made many public statement that their research showed that a touch screen was a different use case from a MacBook Pro entirely and were not moved to include a touch screen on the MacBook Pro (despite Microsoft introducing such a device).

They introduced the touchbar as a compromise, suggesting it brought some touch controls to many Apps where they could be most effective.

But they continued to engineer the iPad, and refined it into a formidable touch input device, and added Apple Pencil features as well. They also came up with Sidecar, where the iPad could be an additional output (and input) device for your MacBook Pro or other Mac.

The war is over. The touchbar was not able to earn its place above the keyboard. Unless you buy a refurbished model quickly, the touchbar is gone.

The winner of the touch input wars is the vastly superior touch input device you can connect alongside your Mac, the iPad. And if you like, you can even add Apple Pencil to full-sized iPads that support it.

Yes, iPad and Apple Pencil is a serious suggestion.

That is the way forward that Apple is supporting.

Going forward that way is fine if you're looking to morph your laptop into a desktop, I suppose. However, using a laptop, iPad and Apple Pencil on a lap is kinda tricky. 😄

MacMikeInOK wrote:

Going forward that way is fine if you're looking to morph your laptop into a desktop, I suppose. However, using a laptop, iPad and Apple Pencil on a lap is kinda tricky. 😄

All you can do is give your feedback to Apple. But, I think this is a case where it's not going to have much effect.

IdrisSeabright,

I realize we've probably seen the last of Touch Bar, and that offering feedback to Apple would most likely be futile. I'm well past it, anyway, as I purchased a new 15" M2 MacBook Air earlier this year to replace my 2016 MacBook Pro.

As I always use my MacBooks on my lap, I was simply pointing out that the iPad/Apple Pencil "workaround" for the Touch Bar isn't very practical for those of us who use a laptop primarily on our...lap 😄

I have a MacBook Pro m1 with Touch Bar iPad Pro 11inch 4 generation and I have the Apple Pencil. AirPod pros and I use my laptop on my lap too but I still disagree with you I actually hate the Apple Pencil and would much rather have the Touch Bar rather than the work around apple pencil and the sidecare. I mean think about what your saying in order for someone to have accommodations like the touch bar provide you have to not only add in a newer model iPad but also an Apple Pencil that’s just ridiculous.

The only reason I wanted to buy an Apple MacBook was because of the 13 Pros Touch Bar. I saved for a year to get the money to buy one and when I went to buy it it was gone. I don't know what to do since I'm starting

gymnasium soon after this summer and I need a laptop. since the school doesn't provide me with one. Does anyone have any tips on another laptop I could buy or if I even should go with Apple.

Why don't you try to find a used Intel MBP? I suppose you can get one made in 2020 or so with the Touch Bar. I was lucky to get a good one from 2019, 15" i7 2018 model with dual GPUs, which was the top end when it was first sold. There might be some practically unused ones still somewhere.

Yes, I wanted an MBP with the Touch Bar, and also wanted use the in-built trackpad. Then, I bought myself both Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad. And, they too work will that "old" Intel MBP! The Touch Bar is quite nice with its software. 

in the US, Apple Certified Refurbished Macs are sold in the Certified Refurbished Store. These are NOT Used or beat up. They are indistinguishable from new, but have typically violated the commercial rules to be sold as new. Stock changes daily. Some discontinued models may be available there. at this writing the US store shows several with tochbar.

Apple replaces any parts not PERFECT, repackages, and sells them at a modest discount with the same warranty as new EXCEPT: if Dead-on-Arrival, you can not return to a Store, you must ship back.

If outside the US, check the Certified Refurbished Store in your country, available through a link in the footer on the main Apple web site.

MacMikeInOK wrote:

Just to be pedantic. Apple stopped calling them "laptops" quite some time ago, as did other manufactures. They don't recommend you use them on your lap because the device won't be properly ventilated and can heat up, thus causing...discomfort... in sensitive areas.

• LOL...as long as we're being pedantic here...

Perhaps the other manufacturers stopped calling them laptops some ago...but these brands apparently did not get this imperitive consumer safety warning:

Acer

• Lenova

• HP

• Microsoft

• Dell

• LG

(The above brands all used the word "laptop" either in a product's title or product description. I quit looking after I saw these...all on one website, bhphotovideo.com). I'm sure there are plenty of other brands the could have been added to this list.)

And? I was only discussing Apple's recommendations for their products.

Oh, and BTW...it's not me who asked the initial question. As I mentioned earlier, I'm past that with my new 15" MBA...but I do miss the Touchbar.

Yes, I am aware you weren't the OP. I was responding specifically to what you commented. That's why I replied to your post and even quoted it.

I love TouchBar and I use it at so many cases.

First, I type in two languages so switching from these two languages is extremely convenient by using TouchBar.

I also take screenshots, slide for volume and brightness using TouchBar.

My first touch on the Touch Bar was on my grandparent's MacBook Pro and I was fascinated by it so Touchbar is kind of my childhood.

The most important part is, Touch Bar can skip ads :)

refusenick wrote:

The Touchbar Macs were the highest-spec models, so they didn't sell as much as lower-spec models like MacBook Airs. That's always been the case even now. What's frustrating is Apple's utter silence on the matter, quietly removing the Touchbar without so much as an announcement and lack of communication on its status.

Some of the early MacBook Pros that had the Touch Bar were high-spec models.

The two MacBook Pros to most recently have the Touch Bar – the 13" M1 and M2 MacBook Pros – were low-spec models. They only had two USB-C (Thunderbolt) ports, only supported one external display, and were essentially the conceptual descendants of the low-end 13" Intel-based MBPs. Those laptops also had only two USB-C (TB) ports, and had older-generation Intel CPUs than the 13" models that had four USB-C (TB) ports.

When Apple released the 13" M2 MacBook Airs and Pros, the M2 Airs got MagSafe 3 ports. The 13" MBPs didn't. You could practically read the handwriting on the wall.

Me too. I can't see myself parting ways with my 2017 MBP unless I'm upgrading to a new MBP with a Touch Bar. The convenience it brings I love. Apple should also consider in the future for the iMac, a keyboard with a Touch Bar.

I wanted to buy a new Mac and give mine to my mother but I won't make the purchase cause I can't live without the Touch Bar. The only way I buy a Mac in the future is if we ever see that Touch Bar again, fingers crossed!

I have had two MBP 15" with Touch Bars. My 2018 one had issues with it: the segments disappeared one-by-one until only the last one on the right remained readable. So it became useless. Then the whole machine died a few months after a battery replacement in 2022. I got a used 2019 version, and it's still got a working Touch Bar. But I mainly use that machine for streaming video and audio, so I never carry it around in a pack like my first one. My real portable is now a 2021 M1 14" MBP (purchased new this year) and I don't miss the Touch Bar. Having real keys is fine for me.