Apple Ends Seven-Year Run of Touch Bar on New MacBooks
Apple has officially discontinued the Touch Bar feature on all new MacBooks sold, bringing an end to its seven-year run. The Touch Bar was first introduced in 2016 as part of a controversial redesign of the MacBook Pro. The feature replaced physical function and Esc keys with a touch-sensitive OLED strip, promising a revolutionary and breakthrough interface, according to initial descriptions by Apple.
However, despite the hype, the Touch Bar failed to gain widespread popularity and faced criticism from users. Many found it less intuitive and practical compared to physical keys. In a move to address these concerns, Apple released the first 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2019, which re-introduced the physical Esc key while retaining the Touch Bar for function keys.
Fast forward to 2021, and Apple has taken a step further by removing the Touch Bar from higher-end MacBook Pro models and bringing back the full-size physical function keys. This week, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro, making it the final model to feature the Touch Bar.
Although the Touch Bar is no longer available on new MacBooks, it can still be found on some refurbished MacBook models sold by Apple. However, the possibility of its return in the future remains uncertain, especially if Apple decides to re-release the 13-inch MacBook Pro as a more affordable option. At present, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that this will happen.
The discontinuation of the Touch Bar reflects Apple’s commitment to constantly refining and improving its products based on customer feedback. While some users may miss the Touch Bar, the return of physical function keys is a welcome change for many who prefer the traditional layout. Only time will tell if Apple will introduce a new innovation to replace the Touch Bar or if they will stick with the tried-and-true physical keys.
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