Apple introduced the touch sensitive Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro in 2016. Initially, the company offered a non Touch Bar model as well, however, soon went all Touch Bar on the Pro MacBooks. However, not many find it easy to use as it’s a variable display with no feedback whereas a key press gives a physical feel.
To make the Touch Bar feel more natural, Apple is reportedly working on adding haptic feedback to the Touch Bar. The company calls the technology of haptic feedback Force Touch on the trackpad of the MacBook. On all the latest MacBooks, a click on the Trackpad essentially activates a vibration motor.
Touch Bar with Force Touch
Patently Apple spotted a patent filed by Apple and published by the US Patent & Trademark Office. The patent suggests a future where MacBook models could have a “Touch Bar with Force Touch Feature”.
A pictorial diagram attached with the patent throws some light on how the Force Touch mechanism will be implemented on the Touch Bar. It mentions words like “Electrical Traces”, “Input/output Contact”, “Force Touch Circuitry”, “Display layer”, and “Force Touch Circuitry” again.
The patent was reportedly filed in 2019, so if Apple is still planning on keeping the TouchBar on future MacBook Pro models, Force Touch Touch Bar is likely not far from release. This year marked the launch of the first slew of Apple silicon Macs – the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro, and the Mac Mini – which use the Apple made M1 chip.
However, the company did not update all of the Macs and the company is known for updating the design of MacBooks every four year but that did not happen this year. Apple last updated the MacBook Pro design in 2016 with a slight update to the 16” MacBook Pro in 2019. So it’s plausible that a redesigned MacBook Pro is set to launch next year with Force Touch enabled Touch Bar.
