Report: Apple developing, already testing full multi-touch Macs

“Mac maker Apple Inc. is in the early developmental stages of a personal computer system that will rely exclusively on its revolutionary multi-touch technology rather than traditional input devices, investment bank Piper Jaffray said Tuesday,” Katie Marsal reports for AppleInsider.

“‘Looking into 2010, we expect Apple to advance its touchscreen technology, known as multi-touch, from simple trackpad features to a complete MacBook touch with touchscreen keypad features,’ analyst Gene Munster told investors. ‘Discussions we have had with component suppliers indicate that Apple is already testing full multi-touch Macs, but the software requirements will likely lead to a launch timeframe of 2010,'” Marsal reports.

Full article here.

45 Comments

  1. “NCIceman said”
    “Amazing that the computers of Star Trek: The Next Generation are going to occur within our lifetimes…”

    Which completely destroys the continuity of the original series. Unless all our new technology is lost in the nuclear war of 2050.

    Seriously, in twenty years the computers in the next generation series are going to look just as outdated as the computers in the original series.

    We won’t be getting FTL propulsion, antimatter reactors, teleportation, or replicators any time soon. We’ll probably have something very similar to a holodeck and virtual reality in the next three decades and a commercial fusion reactor by 2045 if ITER is successful.

  2. “. . . except that most peoples fat fingers arent going to be real good at precise work.”

    Maybe static charged and sharpened Lee Press-On Nails? Yeah, um, that’s why I’m wearing ’em. For the artwork.

  3. Multi- touch screens in laptops or tablets makes sense.
    They make zero sense in a desktop.

    Holding your arms up at shoulder height waving them around for long periods of time is very uncomfortable. Another company researched touch screens for desktops in the ’90s-thats where the term “Gorilla Arm” came from.

    Also, who in the hell sits close enough to a 24″ monitor to touch it?

  4. “Holding your arms up at shoulder height waving them around for long periods of time is very uncomfortable.”

    Not for the current CEO of Microsoft, it isn’t. You can bet something involving arm waving and knuckle dragging is on his “innovations” list.

  5. @alansky and nekogami13,
    Not a touch screen. Apple will replace the keyboard with a touch area. You are right about the ergonomics of a touch screen (ie. monitor), which is why Apple won’t do it that way.

  6. For everyone thinking that the fingerprints and greasy hands to touch are some negatives, . . you can get iKlear from the apple store, monster has a solution at best buy and I use one called iKlenz used just for the iPhone you can get online. I think there all mostly affordable and keeps everything new looking at least – especially for my greasy fingers.

    I personally am excited about touch and really don’t want to think I have to put a screen protector on everything. Sheeshh!

  7. @everyone complaining about ergonomics

    Why would they make it so you had to keep the screen vertical? For non-multitouch use, you have it up in its vertical position, then it tilts/slides down into a horizontal or angled surface for multitouch use.

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