Of course, the tech giant hasn’t announced such a product, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has offered details in a new paywalled report, which says the laptop should arrive in October or November. Here are some of the tidbits in the report:
° The M6 MacBook Pro will come in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes and adopt the Dynamic Island found on the iPhone. The Dynamic Island is an interactive, pill-shaped UI element on the iPhone 14 Pro and later that replaces the traditional notch.
It acts as a hub for notifications, alerts, and live activities, allowing users to control music, see maps, or check timers without leaving their current app. The Mac Dynamic Island — which will be smaller than the iPhone’s Dynamic Island — will be interactive and will contextually expand based on the app or Mac feature in use. And it.
° The M6 MacBook Pro will have a slimmer design, but its appearance won’t be all that different from the current pro model. For example, no changes are anticipated for the keyboard and trackpad.
° The M6 MacBook Pro will be the first Mac with a touchscreen. It won’t be a “touch-first” device a la the iPhone and iPad, though it will allow folks to use touch and mouse gestures interchangeably for all functions.
For example, when using touch, the revamped macOS interface will swap to a touch-friendly mode. You’ll be able to tap or click on-screen elements. For instance, if you tap on a menu bar item, the display will show a larger set of controls optimized for touch. Touch-based options will be integrated throughout macOS, and it will support iPad features like pinch gestures for zooming in or out and fast scrolling.
In other words, Apple will provide iPadOS-like features in a revamped macOS. This, of course, is quite different from the years-long trend of adding macOS features to iPadOS.
From Gurman’s report: The goal is to give users the controls that make the most sense based on whether they’re touching or clicking.
The software will also display the most appropriate set of controls based on users’ prior interaction. And if a person taps an item in the menu bar at the top of the screen, the set of controls will enlarge to be more easily selectable with a finger.
Apple Pencil support for the MacBook Pro?
Let’s hope the M6 MacBook Pro offers Apple Pencil support. Lloyd Coombes of Tom’s Guide has a great idea: Apple should make the Apple Pencil the touch device for a touchscreen Mac, not necessarily your finger.
From his article (which you should read in its entirety): If it [Apple] can roll out a touchscreen MacBook that uses the Apple Pencil, it could position the platform as the go-to for artists, note-takers and more, in a way that the iPad (despite its many positives) hasn’t quite achieved for many.
…. In any case, it feels like having an Apple Pencil-centric interface for macOS (while potentially more expensive) could be a great way to foster a second coming of a creator-based community for Apple.
An OLED display will be a major improvement
The OLED display will also be a major upgrade. Such displays offer superior picture quality with true, deep blacks (0 nits), near-infinite contrast ratios, and more vibrant, accurate colors. Because each pixel emits its own light, they offer faster response times (0.03ms), wider viewing angles, and, in some cases, better energy efficiency
And, Apple, throw in cellular connectivity while you’re at it
Apple could really make my day if the M6 MacBook Pro offers optional cellular support. The iPad has done this for years, so why not the Mac?
About that M6 chip
As for the M6 processor, here’s what it may offer, per a Perardual Consulting report:
° Faster app launches and smoother multitasking thanks to improved CPU cores;
° Better graphics performance for gaming, video editing, and creative work;
° Longer battery life due to more efficient power management;
° Enhanced AI features like improved voice recognition, photo processing, and augmented reality;
° For professionals, the M6 could enable more powerful workflows, reducing the need for bulky laptops or desktops.
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