I'd say the lack of hardware function keys is an utter annoyance for 80% of existing Mac users, maybe 40% like you who can be convinced by the Touchbar provided

I'd say the lack of hardware function keys is an utter annoyance for 80% of existing Mac users, maybe 40% like you who can be convinced by the Touchbar provided as a replacement. Remains 40% annoyed users, minimum. Don't forget Macbooks are sold at a prime, so users are mostly people who use it professionnaly, >8 hrs a day, who expect something from it and are experts in using it (even the basic photographer ends up mastering the keyboard shortcuts of Adobe, starting with... the Esc key). Since the Touchbar may convince noobs like my 15-year-old, provided they're spoiled with laptops no-one can afford, you may end up with a situation where old farts are only 5-10% still cursing at the lack of hardware Esc/Function keys. But that's because of the attrition of professionals, not because you've made a good product. Face it, the market actively rejects this innovation. A lot of people who wanted to renew held off, and are replacing their Macbook with... nothing. It's a bit like if your boyfriend leaves you, and if he doesn't have anyone else to date. He just leaves you because you're bad, because your prices increased too much, and because your features are missing. I don't even thing Microsoft's innovation plays much of a role in Apple's attrition. Now let's talk about the missing battery life incidator, the missing battery life, the missing magsafe, the missing USB ports, the missing compatibility with iPhone 7's USB key. One more thing. The new Macbook isn't on display in stores (in France at least), 6 weeks after the keynote and one week before Christmas. Apple really has a problem with procurement.