Apple has profoundly restructured its laptop offerings.
Yo, check it out, Apple's dropped some new laptops in the Apple Store these days, and it's not exactly good news if you ask me. Yesterdays, they had four types of MacBooks, now it's down to two. None of 'em are all that impressive though.
First off, Apple kicked the bucket on the MacBook Pro with the physical function keys and the tiny 12-inch MacBook. The 12-inch MacBook wasn't updated since 2017 and was known for having a garbage keyboard, so it's not a huge shock they put it out of its misery. But now if you want a new MacBook Pro, you gotta deal with the finicky Touch Bar.
Maybe I'm sentimental or just old-school, but I loved that MacBook Pro with the physical "F" keys. We were BFFs since 2003, and I've been using some form of it. Feels like Apple just took my best bud out back and whacked him. Sure, I could buy a refurbished MacBook Pro with function keys – they're a bit cheaper now – but like the 12-inch MacBook, those machines haven't been updated since 2017. So guess Apple decided to make some major changes in their new lineup.
A lot of folks will dig what Apple is selling now. Killing the last MacBook Pro with physical "F" keys is a new $1,300 entry-level MacBook Pro that comes with the latest 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, a True Tone Retina display, and a Touch Bar. Also has Touch ID and the T2 security chip, which are both dope. Meanwhile, there's a new MacBook Air that now has a True Tone Retina display as well. Apple even lowered the price of the entry-level model to $1,100. It used to be $1,200, which was steep. Plus, the MacBook Air still has physical "F" keys and Touch ID.
Apple is positioning this release as some kind of "back-to-school" thing. College students can cop the entry-level MacBook Air for $1,000 or the entry-level MacBook Pro for $1,200. Apple will even throw in some free Beats Studio3 wireless headphones. College students could also just buy a Chromebook for $500 and use the headphones they probably already own.
You used to be able to get a MacBook with the keys you like or the size that fit your hands, but now you're basically stuck with two choices. One of 'em includes a Touch Bar that plenty of people hate. I think the Touch Bar is one of the worst things Apple's ever made. It ain't as intuitive as a row of physical keys, and while it can be a dynamic touch interface, it's usually poorly executed. Like the Siri button that's right next to the delete key. If Siri's enabled, you'll accidentally summon it nine times a day. If Siri's disabled, when you hit it by accident, the machine tells you to enable Siri. And don't even get me started on the play/pause button.
Some people dig the Touch Bar, I get it. Plenty of people didn't like the 12-inch MacBook and probably didn't buy 'em. The fact that Apple's offering fewer laptop choices to its users still smells. It seems like Apple's streamlining their supply chain as they gear up to sell more Apple Music subscriptions and launch their premium video service, Apple TV. You can always drop a stack of cash on Apple products, they just might not be the ones you want.
Enrichment Data:
Apple discontinued the MacBook Pro with physical function keys and the 12-inch MacBook for design and user experience improvements. The Touch Bar, introduced in the fourth-generation MacBook Pro, was criticized for lack of functionality and user preference. The 12-inch MacBook faced significant keyboard issues, causing class-action lawsuits and a warranty program. New laptop options include the 14-inch MacBook Pro M3, MacBook Pro M3 Pro and M3 Max, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro and M3 Max. Apple is also expected to introduce the M5 chips in late 2025, with additional OLED display updates.
Sources:
[1] Puck, Casey. "Apple Discontinues 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar in Favor of $1,299 M1 Model." MacStories, 4 Mar. 2022, https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-discontinues-13-inch-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-in-favor-of-1299-m1-model/.[2] Gibson, Mark. "Apple MacBook Pro: What to Expect in 2022 and Beyond." Lifewire, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.lifewire.com/apple-macbook-pro-2022-2651177.[3] Parker, Matthew P. "Apple to Introduce New MacBook Pro Armed with Apple Silicon M2 Pro and M2 Max Chips in October, Then M5 Chips Starting in 2023: Analyst." MacRumors, 26 Mar. 2022, https://www.macrumors.com/2022/03/26/apple-macbook-pro-m2-pro-m2-max-m5-chips-2023/.
Despite the discontinuation of the MacBook Pro with physical function keys and the 12-inch MacBook, Apple is pushing forward with technology, introducing a new lineup that includes the latest 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, Touch Bar, and Touch ID in their entry-level MacBook Pro. Looking towards the future, Apple is expected to introduce M5 chips in late 2025, bringing advancements in both processor and OLED display technology.
