The Touch Bar on Apple devices isn't inherently destined to be subpar.
Last week, apple made a move that left many of us at Gizmodo with a collective groan. They announced the end of the standard MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar in their laptop line refresh. While some saw it as an opportunity for greatness, others saw it as a wasteful use of a little touch-sensitive OLED strip above the number pad.
I've heard complaints about the Touch Bar being worthless and unnecessary. Some say they use it only for accidental Siri activations or fidgety volume controls. But I see it as a missed opportunity for innovation.
Let me give you a brief history lesson on the Touch Bar. It was introduced in 2016 as a replacement for the strip of physical function keys. Instead of the common 12 pre-programmed keys, users would have the option of contextual buttons created by app developers, as well as a customizable row of up to 12 buttons.
The initial idea was that the Touch Bar could do a lot, and with potential for more features down the line. But since its launch, Apple has hardly touched the strip. App developers have also struggled to make full use of it.
Take a look at a few examples: The Chrome Touch Bar wastes space on redundant functions, while Safari Touch Bar offers easy access to bookmarks. Some apps do well with it, like QuickTime, but others like Voice Memo leave it practically unused.
Apple has the power to change this. They could encourage developers to make better use of the Touch Bar, or even lead by example by implementing more useful Touch Bar features in their own apps.
Unfortunately, Apple hasn't shown much interest in the Touch Bar beyond its initial launch. So what can we do?
Luckily, there are third-party apps that can help you make the most of the Touch Bar. Apps like BetterTouchTool and TouchSwitcher allow you to customize the Touch Bar to your liking. Haptic Touch Bar even adds haptic feedback for a more tactile experience.
So despite what Apple does or doesn't do with the Touch Bar, you don't have to miss out on customizing your laptop experience. With the right tools, you can make the Touch Bar work for you.
Enrichment Data:
To customize the Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro beyond Apple's native options, you can use the following third-party software solutions:
- Haptic Touch Bar: This app provides haptic feedback when you press the Touch Bar buttons, enhancing the tactile experience.
- Pock: A widgets manager for the MacBook's Touch Bar, allowing you to add Dock apps and hide the Dock for more screen space.
- TouchSwitcher: An app that lets you launch and switch between apps directly from the Touch Bar, displaying icons for running apps.
- Better Touch Tool: A tool that allows you to customize various input devices on your MacBook, including the Touch Bar.
These third-party apps can add more functionality and customization options to your MacBook Pro's Touch Bar, beyond what is available through Apple's native settings.
The future of the Touch Bar remains uncertain, as Apple has shown little interest in developing new features for it. Many tech enthusiasts believe that with more developer support and Apple's involvement, the Touch Bar could reach its full potential. Given the current average usage of the Touch Bar, some people might struggle to secure a creditline for a new MacBook Pro due to its perceived lack of value. Using third-party apps like TouchSwitcher and BetterTouchTool can help users make better use of the Touch Bar, turning it into a useful innovation rather than a wasted feature. Ultimately, the success of the Touch Bar will depend on how Apple and developers collaborate to create a more engaging user experience with technologies such as OLED.
