For all their innovations, one feature has been conspicuously missing from every MacBook of the last few years. The lack of a touch screen is frequently used as Mac-bashing ammunition by PC users (who have enjoyed them on Surface models for some time), but Apple has steadfastly refused to implement the tech. But now it has finally explained why.
In a new interview, Apple executives have defended the decision not to add a touchscreen to the company's laptops. And it seems the explanation is simple: there's an iPad for that. (Check out the best early Apple Black Friday deals if you're in the market for a Mac – or an iPad.)
Apple says the perfect touchscreen computer already exists (Image credit: Apple)
Addressing the question of why it hasn't implemented touch input, John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, told The Wall Street Journal, "We make the world's best touch computer on an iPad. It's totally optimized for that. And the Mac is totally optimized for indirect input. We haven't really felt a reason to change that."
It's a curiously honest answer from Apple (which isn't exactly known for shedding light on its sales strategies), revealing that the company doesn't want the Mac to cannibalise iPad sales. Indeed, much like its recent defence of the controversial new MacBook Pro notch, this seems to show that Apple does indeed listen to what people say (read: moan about) online.
Rivals like the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 feature a touchscreen (Image credit: Microsoft)
And we'd say Apple has a point – the iPad is indeed the perfect touch screen device, especially when paired with the Apple Pencil. But with rivals like Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 showing what a touch-screen laptop/tablet-hybrid can do, and Intel making (admittedly cringe-worthy) digs at Apple's reluctance to go full touch, it's clear that there are some out there who'd prefer a MacBook
Well, going by Apple's latest explanation, we'd say a touchscreen MacBook is very much not on the horizon. But don't worry, the new MacBook Pro is pretty incredible without one. We just hope you like notches. Check out today's best MacBook deals below, and be sure to visit our main Apple deals page for more brilliant offers.
And we'd say Apple has a point – the iPad is indeed the perfect touch screen device, especially when paired with the Apple Pencil. But with rivals like Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 showing what a touch-screen laptop/tablet-hybrid can do, and Intel making (admittedly cringe-worthy) digs at Apple's reluctance to go full touch, it's clear that there are some out there who'd prefer a MacBook
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Well, going by Apple's latest explanation, we'd say a touchscreen MacBook is very much not on the horizon. But don't worry, the new MacBook Pro is pretty incredible without one. We just hope you like notches. Check out today's best MacBook deals below, and be sure to visit our main Apple deals page for more brilliant offers.
Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles. He has interviewed leaders and designers at brands including Apple, Microsoft and Adobe. Daniel's debut book of short stories and poems was published in 2018, and his comedy newsletter is a Substack Bestseller.
