Last year, I referred to the touchscreen Mac as “the concept that refuses to fade away.” Despite Apple’s repeated assertions that they won’t produce one, rumors persist about its potential existence or necessity.
For clarity, Apple has indeed developed prototypes of touchscreen Macs since at least 2008, if not earlier…
Apple’s Exploration of Touchscreen Macs
This information stems from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who revealed in 2010 that the company had evaluated touchscreen technology “years ago.” The implication here is that “years” signifies a minimum of two. Jobs mentioned that these explorations ultimately led to the conclusion to forgo the idea.
“It turns out it doesn’t work. Touch surfaces don’t function well in a vertical position. It looks impressive in demonstrations, but after a short time, you start to feel fatigued, and eventually, your arm wants to give out. It’s ergonomically unfavorable. Touch surfaces are better suited for horizontal usage.”
Jony Ive echoed similar sentiments back in 2016, as did Phil Schiller.
“Apple arrived at this conclusion after testing whether touchscreen capabilities were a good fit for the Mac. Initially, we felt it didn’t make sense—however, we could have been mistaken, so we pursued the idea through various iterations over the years,” Schiller said. “Ultimately, we’ve firmly established that it just isn’t the right move. Our instincts were accurate.”
While I can’t recall CEO Tim Cook explicitly dismissing the idea, he has frequently stated that the company will not unify the iPad and Mac lines.
My Personal Touchscreen Mac Experiences
I had the opportunity to experiment with a touchscreen Mac a couple of times. Unfortunately, these were not Apple-developed prototypes but instead third-party add-ons for existing Macs. They consisted of a monitor enclosure equipped with infrared LEDs to detect finger movement, which the Mac interpreted as mouse actions.
My first experience was with a desktop Macintosh in the 1980s, followed by another test much later on a MacBook Air. In both instances, the outcome was consistent: Steve was absolutely correct—my arm felt as though it was going to fall off.
The Touchscreen Mac Apple Likely Won’t Create
Even though the company has made its stance clear, I can’t completely dismiss the possibility of Apple producing a touchscreen Mac that resembles the numerous touchscreen PC laptops available today.
As my colleague Ryan Christoffel mentioned recently, “history has shown that Apple can vigorously deny something while secretly developing it behind the scenes.” It’s conceivable that Apple may one day realize it’s missing out on revenue by not pursuing this avenue.
Previously, I expressed that I’m not entirely opposed to the concept, but I did emphasize two major conditions.
I’m not against the idea of touchscreen Macs as optional variants. Those interested could pay extra to acquire one. However, I strongly oppose making touchscreen functionality a standard feature. I don’t want to be compelled to pay a premium for something I barely intend to use.
Even more crucially, I do not want to compromise the quality that would be necessary to make a Mac fully controllable via touchscreen. This would necessitate oversized touch targets akin to those on an iPad, significantly diminishing the finesse of macOS and negatively impacting both aesthetics and usability. If a touchscreen Mac is desirable, let it be, but for the love of all things, Apple, do not transform macOS into iPadOS.
The Touchscreen Apple Will Eventually Create
While the company has vehemently denied intentions for a traditional touchscreen laptop, there are ongoing indications that it harbors a long-term objective of replacing a physical keyboard with a secondary touchscreen.
This notion might alarm current MacBook users, as today’s glass keyboards present three significant challenges:
- They cause pain to the fingers
- Virtual keys lack tactile feedback
- Touch typing is impossible since fingers can’t find virtual keys
However, Apple patents indicate possible solutions for each of these issues:
- A flexible, adaptable keyboard designed for comfortable typing
- Haptic feedback to replicate the sensation of pressing a real key
- An electrostatic charge that allows users to feel the outlines of virtual keys
That realization won’t materialize this year, nor next year, or anytime soon. I would estimate we are at least five years away from making this concept practical, and if I were to wager, I’d anticipate more around a decade before we see a viable replacement for physical keys.
Yet, I believe it will ultimately happen because the rationale behind it is compelling. These same arguments were presented by Steve when he advocated for a glass keyboard during the iPhone’s launch. There are instances when a keyboard is unnecessary (imagine unfolding a clamshell MacBook into a flat screen for viewing movies), and there are times when a different keyboard is advantageous (such as custom keyboard overlays for Final Cut Pro).
As for this year, I wouldn’t expect any hints at WWDC 2025. What are your thoughts? Please share your opinions in the comments.
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