Steven Levy / Wired : John Ternus says the Mac is “first and foremost an indirect input device”, but touch is “comfortable and handy” sometimes; Apple long resisted touchscreen Macs — An exclusive early look at Apple's new touchscreen MacBook Pro—the computer Apple said would never happen.
John Ternus says the Mac is "first and foremost an indirect input device", but touch is "comfortable and handy" sometimes; Apple long resisted touchscreen Macs (Steven Levy/Wired)
In short
The development marks a notable product strategy shift for the company, which spent years resisting touch capabilities across its traditional computer lineup. Executive comments reveal an evolving philosophy regarding how users navigate laptops, balancing classic controls with occasional direct interaction. This shift finally opens the door for tactile hardware features on flagship laptop systems. Specifically, Apple has developed a new touchscreen MacBook Pro despite previous indications that it would never produce such a device.
Key points
- Apple is reversing its historical stance against introducing touch displays to its person…: Apple is reversing its historical stance against introducing touch displays to its personal computer lineup.
- Company leadership now acknowledges that direct touch controls can be comfortable and han…: Company leadership now acknowledges that direct touch controls can be comfortable and handy in select situations.
- The MacBook Pro will maintain indirect interaction as its primary method of user navigati…: The MacBook Pro will maintain indirect interaction as its primary method of user navigation.