New reports suggest that Apple may remove the OLED Touch Bar from its next MacBook Pro models, and true to form, the internet has mixed opinions about that possibility. Some may be surprised that something like a touch bar can be a source of such controversy and debate, but this is Apple. A company that's reached a level where every move it makes is thoroughly analyzed and often debated.
The MacBook Pro was introduced in 2006 as the premium version of Apple's popular laptop computer. It has taken on several different variations over the years, being offered in multiple screen sizes with varying levels of storage space and processing power. The Touch Bar that comes on today's modern MacBook Pro's was first revealed in 2016. About half a decade later, Apple may be gearing up for another change.
As reported by MacRumors, Apple looks poised to revert back to physical function keys in place of the MacBook Pro's current Touch Bar. The publication obtained a note from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo to investors that indicated the change, although Apple has not (and likely won't) confirmed the news. Still, that hasn't stopped Apple users from airing their opinions on Twitter. An informal examination of the ongoing dialogue on the platform suggests that there are two camps and schools of thought - the tech savvy power users who are happy to see the Touch Bar go, and the more casual MacBook Pro owners who value the Touch Bar.
MacBook Pro Touch Bar Really That Bad?
"Touch Bar" has been trending on Twitter since the reports broke, and there seems to be debate among prominent tech experts about the usefulness of the feature. MacRumors editor Joe Rossignol tweeted excitement for the direction Apple has gone recently, including the possible removal of the Touch Bar. Others, like Android Police's Max Weinbach, said that while it isn't used very often, it is more appreciated than physical buttons for controlling things like volume and brightness. Marques Brownlee, a popular video producer and tech analyst, surmised that 75-percent of replies to a Tweet about the Touch Bar hated it, while 20-percent didn't have much use for it, and around 5-percent are disappointed to potentially see the Touch Bar go.
At the same time, there's growing support for the Touch Bar among the average MacBook Pro user, according to the Twitterverse. In a reply to Weinbach, Twitter user @ahsanch76 suggested the general public approves of the Touch Bar, and that hate for the feature is more concentrated in the tech enthusiast community. In a thread that started by quoting Rossignol's aforementioned tweet, Twitter user @Like_a_Perfect claimed that Apple is catering to power users who use function keys on an everyday basis. And, in addition to a GIF that may perfectly sum up how several Touch Bar supporters feel, travel writer and blogger Valerie Stimac's Tweet came with plenty of replies suggesting the Touch Bar is more popular with users than some might expect.
Judging by the discussions currently taking place on social media, it sounds like Apple may be making a controversial decision if reports about the Touch Bar's removal are indeed true. The MacBook Pro community is seemingly divided on the subject, with tech enthusiasts and 'power' users in favor of ditching the feature and more 'average' MacBook Pro users hoping that the Touch Bar is here to stay. By now, the tech giant certainly knows it can't please all of its millions of customers, but if the latest rumors are correct, then it looks like enthusiasts and power users might get their wish of Apple retiring the Touch Bar on future MacBook Pro models.
Source: MacRumors