On Wednesday, Apple unveiled its first touchscreen laptop at an event held in Los Angeles.
This new MacBook is named MacBook Pro with ProLED XDR Display. It still runs on Apple's MacBook, and not iPadOS or iOS – the latter being the operating system of iPhone.
For those who are concerned about the new user interface, there is good news: you don’t have to use touch at all. The touch feature is completely optional.
CNBC had a brief experience with the 14-inch and 16-inch touchscreen versions of MacBook at the event site.
Users can still rely mainly or entirely on the touchpad and keyboard for operation, and there are not many changes in appearance. MacOS still looks pretty much the same as before.
However, there are still some updates to the user interface. For example, the red button in the upper left corner of the window will enlarge when touched, making it easier to click on. Apple states that third-party developers such as Microsoft and Adobe can and will update their applications to make the buttons and other touch targets larger. I think this feature is particularly useful when browsing web pages or documents while lying down.
But even without software specifically updated for this new computer, touch control is still supported. Apple states that in the background, their software converts each touch click into a traditional click, so any button that can be clicked on can also be touched.
It feels nice to operate this laptop with fingers, but it won't change the way most people use laptops. It might be useful for iPhone application developers, as they can now test how their applications run on Mac. The accessibility features also allow users to pinch-to-zoom at any position on the interface.
Apple stated on Wednesday that it uses an oleophobic coating on the screen to resist fingerprints. It seems to be effective indeed; I haven't noticed any marks on the screen when using the touch function.
In addition to the touch function, Apple also promotes these laptops as having superior display effects, which are thanks to their new tandem OLED technologies, which are capable of providing deeper blacks and higher contrast.
Although photos and other artistic content look great on the screen, there isn’t a revolutionary difference compared to previous Apple laptops. Many of the improvements are aimed at creators who need precise colors for photo and video editing.
Different from the notch design with a hidden camera at the top of the previous MacBook, the new MacBook adopts a hole-punching design similar to that of the recent iPhone on the screen. Apple has added a new Dynamic Island feature to the MacBook which allows for the display of real-time activities and Siri.
Apple has heavily promoted the new hinge of this notebook, claiming that it is designed to prevent shaking when users touch the screen. For example, if you tap on the screen during a video call, the camera will shake less. However, the feel of this hinge is basically the same as Apple's previous MacBook Pro.
There's a new feature that immediately makes it clear you're buying the latest, most powerful, and also most expensive Apple laptop. (The smaller 14-inch model starts at $2,899, while the larger models cost at least $3,399.) Now, the Apple logo on the lid of the laptop lights up when it's turned on. This is the first Apple laptop to feature this design since the 2017 model MacBook Air.
When this feature was announced on Wednesday, analysts and internet celebrities present at the event cheered.
