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# Why Apple Won’t Make TouchScreens For The MacbookPro—Perspectives
- URL: https://therobexperiment.com/blog/why-apple-wont-make-touchscreens-for-the-macbookpro-perspectives/
- Published: 2021-02-13T04:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-25T06:37:42.000Z
- Description: Looming around is a long-standing discussion from Apple fans over many years that they wanted "Touch" controls of an iPad coming to their MacbookPro line of laptops but thus far nothing had truly happened or will it?
- Author: TheRobExperiment
- Tags: Perspectives, Product-Perspectives, Product, Apple, Apple Laptops, Laptops, Macbook Pro, Macbook Pro 15", Technology, TouchScreens, #Import 2026-08-19 13:32

First and foremost, I am neither an [*Apple*](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com)*\-rumour-guru* nor a *Future-prediction-artist,* to either assume or confirm respectively, what Apple’s management had longed-planned or decided for their product roadmap ahead of their current and future tech releases.

I am here just to share my personal opinion piece about my realization of some “*unspoken facts*” that I now assumed, after being a [MacbookPro 15″](https://amzn.to/2AVb8dx?ref=therobexperiment.com) user since 2009, an iPhone fan since my first [iPhone 3G](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone%5F3G?ref=therobexperiment.com) in 2008, and a more recent new owner of the [iPad Pro 12.9″ 2020](https://amzn.to/2Uo1A1U?ref=therobexperiment.com) in Jun 2020.

We’ll probably have to face some hard facts — A TouchScreen will *Never-Ever-Happen* and a [MacBookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) system. Period.

• • •

## The MacBookPro Lineage

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-The.MacbookPro.Lineage-1.jpeg)

****Image from Google Images** — A list of historical products Apple made since her heydays pre-2007

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-The.Insanely.Great_.History.Of_.Apple_-1.jpeg)

****Image from Fast Company** — Timeline breakdown of how the MacBook series came about (**Purple channel*).

The [*MacbookPro*](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) series is a subset of the Macbook family, and is probably the longest surviving lineage in the history of the original [Macintosh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh?ref=therobexperiment.com) portable computer, since its first inception way back in Jan 2006.

The current “*Unibody*” concept that we still see today in all [MacbookPros](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com), has been serving us since its 2nd-generation release in late-2008, up to our current-day 10th-generation series in 2020\. That’s a ***notable 12-year lifespan*** for any modern-day product-design-range and ***clearly-way-overdue*** for a major overhaul by modern-day standards.

However, what we must recognize is the notoriety that the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) has gained over these years — Evolving from a **merely functional product** into **a *cultural icon***.

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-Apple.Icon_.jpeg)

**The design just works.** — Clearly technically-functional and revolutionary-brilliant, the current design compromises of more than a decade-old compilation of technical innovations and design genius — Bringing together the best of what [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com) recognized as market-common and usage-proven technology standards, all packed into a seamless body of technological marvel.

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-Apple.Cultural.Icon_.png)

**The design is a cultural icon.** — An etched out *one-aluminum-block* design is simply timeless.

Having an almost cult-like status, the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) is in itself an independent symbol where almost every tech-savvy human can’t help but recognise its signature lines and curves, and the level of *design-excellence,* *exceptional*–*user-experience,* and *lasting-build-quality* it stands for.

The design concept is probably “*that-good*” that you can easily find an [endless stream of icon images online](https://www.google.com/search?q=macbook+pro+icon&rlz=1C9BKJA%5FenSG902SG902&hl=en-GB&prmd=isnv&sxsrf=ALeKk00drO3hftjX3ir4SE8yq6wN-h1VIg:1592002164511&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj38Pybrv3pAhWBfn0KHVJ-DNcQ%5FAUoAXoECAgQAQ) created in honor of this [*cultural icon*](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural%5Ficon?ref=therobexperiment.com)*,* as well as seeing [competitors just blatantly copying it for their own new line of products](https://www.fastcompany.com/1801211/how-much-can-asus-hp-and-others-rip-apples-designs?ref=therobexperiment.com).

• • •

## Why The Next Evolution Is Not Happening

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-Why.The_.Next_.Evolution.Is_.Not_.Happening.jpeg)

Concept imagines of futuristic Apple device concepts found on 9to5Mac.com

However, despite such a “*market-need*” frequently flouted by consumer fans, we might have overlooked ***why*** [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com) has yet to take any serious actions in moving towards *this next evolution*, especially in recent years.

No doubt, the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) has already seen its fair share of iterations since its raw beginnings that have been fine-tuned to a *near-perfect* hardware state we see today.

There are, however, often unspoken, underlying ***user-experience mindsets*** as well as ***business strategies***, which also served as critical factors that will significantly pivot the trajectory of this globally-beloved product.

#### **A. Maintain Decoupling Of Respective Product Experiences**

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-Maintain.Decoupling.jpeg)

For years, fans have complained about [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com)’s lack of embracing the “[*TouchScreen Revolution*](https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/features/articles/21545?ref=therobexperiment.com)”, as widely seen in the creation of [newer laptop models by their Windows counterparts](https://amzn.to/3hq7CZv?ref=therobexperiment.com).

> Let’s not forget that the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) is fundamentally created as a [laptop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laptop?ref=therobexperiment.com), while [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com)’s resulting ideology of having a “TouchScreen Computer” is the [iPad](https://amzn.to/3fniF3L?ref=therobexperiment.com).

With very *clear product distinction* and *continually-charted courses* of the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) and [iPad](https://amzn.to/3fniF3L?ref=therobexperiment.com) series along the years, I can now more clearly see [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com)’s attempt to somehow protect the idiosyncratic *user-experience* and *identity* of these two individualistic devices.

Consumers who had paid for a product, such as the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com), have an expected set of *standardised-baseline-experiences* for the underlying product. — Basically, *the product should exceed the baseline expectations and not cause any troubles haphazardly*.

To maintain a **successful and sustainable product line,** such *product-experiences* should *fulfil while ideally never sacrificing* either of two primary factors, namely:

**#A1\. Dead-Simple-Usage** — There is a *fixed expectation* of how a [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) should function right out-of-the-box *with no surprises*. This is especially true for the vast majority of consumers who are not high-tech savvy yet wanted a [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) to just function as a laptop.

Adding a TouchScreen is then considered as a *surprise function* that will potentially *confuse and disrupt* this baseline user-experience dynamics of how the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) should *normally function*, thereby potentially induce feelings of frustration and anger towards the product and brand, as it “*complicates*” the interaction process.

**#A2\. Sustaining-Existing-Proven-Capabilities** — This may include say having an expected 10-hour runtime of battery life on the new line of [MacbookPro 16″ (Late-2019)](https://amzn.to/2BaoO4u?ref=therobexperiment.com) but eventually falling short on that promise given a new TouchScreen *hardware-upgrade* to the specifications, which inevitably drains more power during operation.

This scenario is especially [close-to-reality](https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-macbook-pro-touch-problems-commentary/?ref=therobexperiment.com) as such an inclusion to an already highly-tweaked and fashionably-thin [MacbookPro 16″ (Late-2019)](https://amzn.to/2BaoO4u?ref=therobexperiment.com) profile, some other existing and proven hardware perk, such as “*longer-lasting-battery-life*”, will have to give way for this exchange, and I do strongly believe that a large crowd of fans will definitely not be happy with this decision moving forward.

> From [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com) to Consumers in 2020 — The [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) should remain fundamentally as a [laptop powerhouse](https://andwhatithink.com/why-pro-macbookpro-users-dont-mind-a-thicker-laptop-b4f8502636b9?ref=therobexperiment.com), while now we have the new [iPad Pro](https://amzn.to/3d4xQNZ?ref=therobexperiment.com).

#### **B. Sustain Highly-Profitable Business Model + Price Strategy**

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sgrobert/ghost-therobexperiment-assets/main/2021/04/20200615-WHY.Apple_.Wont_.Make_.TouchScreens.For_.The_.MacBookPro-Sustain.Highly-Profitable.Biz_.Model_.jpeg)

Touted as one of the pioneering founders to the trend, the [Apple Ecosystem](https://usceconreview.com/2020/01/13/the-evolution-of-the-apple-ecosystem/?ref=therobexperiment.com) has since spellbound and astonished many critics as it continues to lead the trend and drive brand loyalty as well as [huge profits back to Apple](https://www.aboveavalon.com/notes/2019/5/30/apples-billion-users?ref=therobexperiment.com).

As a business, it makes *obvious* *business sense* to charge a high margin on One *culturally-iconic product.* But, it then makes ***even more business sense*** to charge for **Two-or-More** of such moneymaking products that have a *unique and highly-desired function* coupled with an *in-depth-mesh of software interoperability* between these interconnected devices.

This works especially well when you have a huge global following of brand-loyal, die-heart fans like [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com) — As highly evidenced in their [seemingly-endless exceedingly-profitable streak](https://www.barrons.com/articles/how-apple-could-soar-to-a-valuation-of-2-trillion-51591033256?ref=therobexperiment.com) up to 2020 and probably beyond.

Therefore, as an enterprise, it just **makes neither sense to “*kill off*” additional** [**cash cow**](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cashcow.asp?ref=therobexperiment.com) **streams** by merging multiple product lines into one, nor even to consider creating a third-new-stream that *marries two-or-more-multiple-streams-into-one*, which will coordinately cannibalise the respective streams involved, drive down sales and potentially devalue [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com)’s overall brand value.

Inevitability, it is definitely wiser to forge on their respective paths for both the [highly-beloved MacbookPro](https://www.engadget.com/2018-08-01-apple-mac-sales-services-revenue.html?ref=therobexperiment.com) and the [lucrative iPad](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/25/the-tim-cook-apple-ipad-prediction-thats-looking-increasingly-blurry.html?ref=therobexperiment.com) product streams in the near and foreseeable future post-2020.

• • •

## Interesting Fact

![“You’re not creating if your not first enveloped with passion for your work”](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1511203466129-824e631920d7?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fHRoaW5raW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTYxNzQ0NDMxMQ&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&q=80&w=2000)

Photo by [Jason Strull](https://unsplash.com/@jasonstrull?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit)

Unbeknownst to many, though it is a fact that the [MacBookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) line continues to grow *exceptionally-more-expensive* *year-on-year*, it is still not by far [Apple’s most-profitable product](https://www.investopedia.com/apple-s-5-most-profitable-lines-of-business-4684130?ref=therobexperiment.com), as compared to the likes of [iPhones, iPads, Wearables and Services in 2020](https://www.apple.com/sg/newsroom/2020/01/apple-reports-record-first-quarter-results/?ref=therobexperiment.com), to be overspending significant R&D dollars in this segment in 2020.

Arguably, there will be a crowd of fans who would want to see the merging of capabilities of these two devices, but it is probably clear that this market is sadly, too minor to make such a significant pivot.

> All in all, there is simply no realistic point for [Apple](https://www.apple.com/?ref=therobexperiment.com) to alter any of their already-proven and profitable channels of products, notably for both the [MacbookPro](https://amzn.to/2NaUDgF?ref=therobexperiment.com) and [iPads](https://amzn.to/3fniF3L?ref=therobexperiment.com) in 2020.

---

##### This article first appeared in ANDWHATITHINK.COM, named "WHY Apple Won’t Make TouchScreens For The MacBookPro" published on 15 Jun 2020, written by Robert Chai. It was reproduced with permission by Robert Chai to extend the discussion regarding Apple and their mixed true feelings with MacbookPros and merging it with TouchScreen technologies. The article is refreshed with updated links and typo mistakes.