Apple did it again, first with the iPhone 7 and now with the new MacBook Pro 2016 edition. The Cupertino-based giant has added a new awesome technology in MacBook Pro – the touch bar – and removed some of the features which you are going to miss in the latest edition of MacBook Pro.
Apple reduced the thickness of the MacBook and made it lighter too! It only weighs three pounds (approximately 1.2 kilos.) It cut down on connectivity options (a little bit) to make it thinner; you’ll now get two/four Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports and a headphone jack (no SD card slot and USB type-A port).
The Touch bar
Apple removed the function keys and placed a multi-functional touch bar including a fingerprint sensor. Yes! Now you have to touch the “Esc” key every time you want it. The touch panel is now your function keys, menu bar and more useful things. The touch bar can be customised, and you can put your custom buttons.
TouchBar replaces the traditional function key in the newly unveiled MacBook Pro models.
Touch bar is a retina touch display with a fingerprint scanner on the right side. The touch ID is covered with sapphire glass to protect it from scratches, and it is now the power button too! The Apple T1 Chip supports the Touch Bar and Touch ID for faster and lag free functions.
Touchpad
The touchpad is now bigger and better, more responsive than before. The keyboard is now smaller because of the touch bar, and Apple filled the space with the touchpad. It is 3D touch responsive, even more than the previous version of the MacBook Pro. If you are an Apple Macbook user, then this touchpad will make things easier for you.
Stereo Speakers
Apple is cutting down tech from its previous MacBook versions. It removed the downward facing quad speakers and added two new stereo speakers on either side of the keyboard. The speaker grills reminded me of the HP Spectre; HP added the speakers the same way as you can see them in new MacBook Pro.
Connectivity
So, this is the section where Apple removed a lot of things and made the MacBook Pro an excellent laptop. Forget everything which you use to connect to your old laptop because Apple MacBook Pro 2016 comes with four USB Type-C Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The irony is that you cannot even connect your iPhone with this new Macbook Pro without using the converters, which you need to buy separately.
Wrapping up
Overall, Apple has made some significant changes in its new MacBook Pro edition. It increased the trackpad size and embedded the Touch ID functionality, which is a plus. Also, the Touch Bar is likely to save a lot of time for video and audio editors as Apple showcased at the launch event itself. All these features surely make MacBook Pro a decent purchase but all this comes with a hefty price tag. The last thing – the Apple logo on new MacBook Pro doesn’t glow.
