How would Apple implement touch-enabled Macbooks?


Recommended Posts

Seeing my Apple-using peers in the last few months has really gotten me wondering: how will Apple introduce touch screens to Macbooks, iMacs, and other "non-iPad" or "non-iPod" devices?

 

Surely at some point, people will point at Windows 8 (or later) devices and wonder, "When will Apple add their better versions?" [sic]  Right now there's the argument that touch isn't ideal for Mac OS, but I'm sure that Apple users will eventually want it on their computers when nearly every other laptop around them has it.

 

Will Apple combine it with the iPad?  Will Apple make something convertible like the Surface, or will they somehow continue to market the iPad and Macbook as separate but mutually necessary devices, both of which every consumer should purchase and use for different things?

 

I want to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would suppose that would depend on what Microsoft's patents are like, and if airtight, whether apple can make a deal to use some of the ideas

Would be interesting to see just for the curiosity

(one angle)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apple could slap on the Ipad's UI on top of the Mac desktop as the Apple menu/app launcher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apple could slap on the Ipad's UI on top of the Mac desktop as the Apple menu/app launcher.

They have, it's called Launchpad. I for one blissfully ignore it.

I can't see Apple implementing touch-enabled Macbooks. The current solution with excellent multi-touch gestures via trackpad works very well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I have yet to see touch done well on a desktop computer.... Until then I don't really see a point.

 

 

I would suppose that would depend on what Microsoft's patents are like, and if airtight, whether apple can make a deal to use some of the ideas

Would be interesting to see just for the curiosity

(one angle)

Apple and MS can use each others patents freely (that's why the Surface is the only computer to also use a magsafe type connector)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I have yet to see touch done well on a desktop computer.... Until then I don't really see a point.

On laptops like the one the OP was talking about, touch screens are actually amazingly convenient (though I agree with the desktop comment). Personally I think they'll just rebrand one of their current Macbooks as the "MacBook Touch" and run with that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I the only one who considers touch screens on laptops kind of awkward? Quite honestly the Macbook Air trackpad does the trick perfectly well.

 

Another reason why this isn't going to happen any time soon: OS X is in no way optimised for touch screens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seeing my Apple-using peers in the last few months has really gotten me wondering: how will Apple introduce touch screens to Macbooks, iMacs, and other "non-iPad" or "non-iPod" devices?

 

Surely at some point, people will point at Windows 8 (or later) devices and wonder, "When will Apple add their better versions?" [sic]  Right now there's the argument that touch isn't ideal for Mac OS, but I'm sure that Apple users will eventually want it on their computers when nearly every other laptop around them has it.

 

Will Apple combine it with the iPad?  Will Apple make something convertible like the Surface, or will they somehow continue to market the iPad and Macbook as separate but mutually necessary devices, both of which every consumer should purchase and use for different things?

 

I want to hear your thoughts on this matter.

 

patents.. when Apple has their own touch based patents? naw, they can do it based off their own technologies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think they will. They'll pump more energy into the RDF, and continue to blissfully ignore it, all the while slamming Microsoft for implementing it on Windows. They're the anti-Microsoft. Their whole marketing campaign is based off the fact that everything Microsoft/Google does is bad, and they're the only ones doing things right. After flinging all that FUD, I don't see them changing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They won't. They could run every iOS app in a Window in OSX with the trackpads they currently have, but they won't, I think entirely because the crossover of the high end iPads and low end MacBooks is too close. For Microsoft it doesn't matter, they don't make the laptops.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's really no point in a touchscreen on a laptop, especially the Macbook.  The touchpad already has a ton of gestures it recognizes, so basically anything you'd do by touching the screen can be done on the trackpad.  I see no reason for adding an expensive feature that provides very little benefit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Steve Jobs said that "Touch Devices don?t want to be vertical" referring to vertical laptop screens.  Tim Cook said "You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not gonna be pleasing to the user" referring to the same thing.  I use a touchscreen at work and found myself touching a regular monitor when I had to move my touchscreen to another area, so it's not as bad as people say/think when you actually use it.

 

Could they do it?  They've done 180s on other stuff....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.