If Apple brings touch to the Mac how will they announce/present it?

[Rogifan]

A lot of Apple centric bloggers/developers think the redesign of macOS and introduction of Apple silicon means touch is coming to the Mac. If Apple did that how would they announce/present it? I mean Phil Schiller isn’t going to get up on stage and say Microsoft was right after all so here’s your touch screen Mac. How does he spin it in a way that doesn’t look like Apple is doing a 180?

I have the magic keyboard for my iPad Pro and I’m touching the screen all the time. It’s totally natural. I don’t get gorilla arm or anything else. Of course the iPad screen and the way it tilts is closer to the keyboard so you don’t have to do much reaching to touch the screen. Perhaps if Apple does add touch it will come with a completely redesigned Mac that allows the screen to be tilted closer to the keyboard?

 

[yesjam]

I think it would be introduced by having the iPad Pro run macOS, which would be renamed "Apple OS" or something like that. I don't think they would merely make a laptop have a touch sensitive screen, I think they would fully blur the lines by effectively "killing" the laptop.

 

[casperes1996]

I'm just going to put my money on "It's not happening". Craig even sort of said that again this year in the interview with MKBHD.

And I too have an iPad Pro with keyboard, albeit the Smart Keyboard Folio, predecessor to the Magic; And I disagree; It feels terrible

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have the iPad Pro 11 (2020) with Magic Keyboard and I have barely touched the screen. Granted, I have only had the set up since 6.26. I don’t feel a need to touch the screen, especially with the great trackpad and keyboard gestures available.

if you are touching the screen all the time in spite of the Magic Keyboard, what was the purpose of getting the Magic Keyboard save the awesome magnetic screen docking?

I agree with Casperes. I don’t see it happening. I don’t think I would like a touch only screen. It would inhibit my use for all constant hands and fingers back and forth.

 

[Rogifan]

I think it would be introduced by having the iPad Pro run macOS, which would be renamed "Apple OS" or something like that. I don't think they would merely make a laptop have a touch sensitive screen, I think they would fully blur the lines by effectively "killing" the laptop.

Maybe though if they create a new OS or merge iPadOS and macOS wouldn’t that also run on the iMac? Or would they just not allow touch on a desktop? I’m just curious how they would spin it to not look like they were doing a 180 on their previous positions. Steve Jobs could get away with it because he was the ultimate salesman and BS artist. Tim Cook and Phil Schiller are not.
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I'm just going to put my money on "It's not happening". Craig even sort of said that again this year in the interview with MKBHD.

And I too have an iPad Pro with keyboard, albeit the Smart Keyboard Folio, predecessor to the Magic; And I disagree; It feels terrible

On the connected podcast Stephen Hackett predicted we might see one this fall. I have my doubts but if they’re going to do it I don’t know what they’d be waiting for. Unless there’s some completely new form factor that isn’t ready yet. But I can’t see them launching an ARM Mac on an existing MBP or MBA if there’s a new form factor in the works. You’d think they would want a big reveal that would surprise everyone.

 

[casperes1996]

Maybe though if they create a new OS or merge iPadOS and macOS wouldn’t that also run on the iMac? Or would they just not allow touch on a desktop? I’m just curious how they would spin it to not look like they were doing a 180 on their previous positions. Steve Jobs could get away with it because he was the ultimate salesman and BS artist. Tim Cook and Phil Schiller are not.

I don't see them merging them either. They will stay distinct. But Phill is amazing, and the answer to how if they were theoretically to do it is simple.
"We have solved it. We always said that bringing touch to the desktop would be a bad experience because of the ergonomics, but by cleverly engineering every part of the experience against a unified interaction model, we're able to bring the best of both worlds, without being inhibited by the drawbacks of either"

 

[Rogifan]

I have the iPad Pro 11 (2020) with Magic Keyboard and I have barely touched the screen. Granted, I have only had the set up since 6.26. I don’t feel a need to touch the screen, especially with the great trackpad and keyboard gestures available.

if you are touching the screen all the time in spite of the Magic Keyboard, what was the purpose of getting the Magic Keyboard save the awesome magnetic screen docking?

I agree with Casperes. I don’t see it happening. I don’t think I would like a touch only screen. It would inhibit my use for all constant hands and fingers back and forth.

For me typing is 1000% better with the magic keyboard. I still use the trackpad a lot but I used my iPad Pro for so long without a keyboard I’m just so used to touching the screen.

 

[frou]

The obvious spin would be to say that it never make sense until now, because past Macs were too unsophisticated to run software designed for touch (iOS and iPadOS apps) natively.