My guess is the touch bar along with haptic feedback is going to replace the whole keyboard.
They'll probably call it "ipad"
Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
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Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#112If anyone knows apple the way that I do. The answer is yes and no. Yes they will address it when it affects their bottom line. No, because they don't consider it an issue to begin with. I'm old enough to remember when they had the logic board issue and specifically gave us (Apple care reps) instructions to not mention it to the customer. So if you called with an unrelated issue, I wasn't allowed to tell you about the…
This. My last trip with my macbook pro to the genius bar went this way. My keyboard didn't work. He looked at my screen, then whispered: "your screen is having a recall -- look at the glossy layer - it is coming off -- we replace it for free". I mean apple sure knows how to take my payment in 15 seconds at the store with my information and email address. But somehow they can't inform me of a recall.
No joke, since reading this comment I have confirmed in person my MacBook pro is covered and lined up a screen replacement with them. I really would have kicked myself if I found out about this after the coverage period ended. I guess it pays to read HN comments!
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#113I think they'll address it by eliminating the keyboard entirely à la the MacBook Wheel[0], albeit perhaps with a touch screen. From an absolute, ergonomic standpoint, it will suck. But soft keys won't fail or get crud in them like hard keys do, and Gruber will soon be writing thinkpieces about how the keyboard is the most failure-prone part of a computer, and the complaints about recent MBP keyboards are inherent failings of hardware keyboards themselves rather than Apple skimping on quality, and Apple is taking the lead in something the industry should have done a long time ago by eliminating the hardware keyboard.
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#114If they do, I’ll buy one
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#115I wonder what it’s like on Apple’s campuses?
I’d guess their employees all have new laptops, or at least Touch Bar equipped models.
How many have the Bluetooth Magic Keyboard & Track Pad at their work station too?
If they do use external keyboards how do they charge them? From a monitor’s USB3 ports? wall outlet with charger nub? USB C to USB 3 dongle? You have to have one of those methods to charge by Thunderbolt on the Touch Bar laptops …
Seriously, that seems like a viable metric to understand satisfaction with the onboard keyboard & trackpad.
Or maybe Apple doesn’t think this is as big an issue as it is because so many people are now relying on alternate input devices.
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
My guess is that your joking, if not then you must be one of the few touchbar fans ("there are dozen's of us...dozens!").
I hate the touchbar, but love touchid on my laptop
I'm in the same boat, I really like touchid. I have CAPS LOCK mapped to ESC and have rarely if ever use anything but the function keys on the touchbar. I wanted to like it and use it, but it just doesn't work well for me.
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#117Who knows? Nobody knows outside of Apple. My best guess would be that maybe by sometime late next year at the earliest they will have redesigned the keyboard, but it could easily be 2020 or later, or maybe never. It's also possible the next version won't be an improvement, as many learned when the 2012-2015 MacBook Pro was getting long in the tooth, and the 2016-???? replacement arrived to replace it. In the meantime…
I got a macbook 2016 model with touch bar as a work laptop. I was scared of all things, the lack of esc, ports, magsafe. However after using it for X months, I am never going back.
- The touchbar is great with sliders for brightness and volume. That's ALL I use it for though, so it is a bit under utilized.
- The esc key might be the only minor issue, but it's mostly the lack of feedback.
- Ports - I love having to unplug only one dongle instead of the 4-5 USD/HDMI/ETC/ETC I always have plugged in every time I need to move away. And plugging them all back in is also a single action. I'd be ok with less ports even.
- Magsafe, I still love it but I haven't even missed it.
- No issues with the keyboard and I haven't used function keys in years anyway.
I think it 'clicked' for me after a few weeks of usage, so I understand people judging it or even returning it after a few days.