Apple is reportedly working on touch screen Macs, which Steve Jobs once called ‘ergonomically terrible’
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Apple
- is working on a MacBook Pro with a touch screen, according to Bloomberg.
- The device could be launched in 2025 as part of larger updates to the MacBook Pro.
- For years, the company stuck to the idea that touch screens didn’t suit its laptops.
When it comes to laptops, the “touch screen” is a delicate subject for Apple.
Back in 2010, Apple’s founder Steve Jobs said adding touch screens to Macs would be “ergonomically terrible.” In 2012, his successor as CEO, Tim Cook, mocked Microsoft’s decision to combine its tablets and laptops as the equivalent of fusing a toaster and a refrigerator.
In a surprising reversal of opinion, Apple is now working on adding touch screens to its MacBook Pro laptops, according to Bloomberg.
The devices are likely to be released in 2025 as part of a larger update to the MacBook Pro, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. The company is also planning to switch from liquid crystal display technology to light emitting diode technology. The latter can offer stronger contrast ratio in images, according to CNET.
Apple’s pivot is likely due to the growing number of competitors like Dell, Lenovo, and Microsoft selling touch screen laptops. Many of these models have 360-degree hinges and sit at the intersection of tablets and laptops, as opposed to being squarely in one category.
While Apple long worried that touch screen laptops might overtake the company’s iPad sales, in recent years, laptops have brought in more money, according to Bloomberg. So, it makes sense for Apple to finally jump on the touch screen trend.