3 ms·

This looks to me like some experiment with touch enabled UI on the Mac by Apple.

unicornfinder 5y ago
I suspect as of Big Sur that Apple were intending to release touchscreen Macs, but the changes to the OS in future versions makes me suspect that they then changed their mind.
- newaccount74 5y ago
  I think Apple prepares for a lot of eventualities internally and only some things end up being released. Eg. they built macOS X on Intel years before they announced the switch. It's quite possible someone is working on making macOS touch-screen capable, even when they don't have concrete plans for releasing a touch screen Mac.
  - hirvi74 5y ago
    I've read articles about Apple patenting various technologies that would facilitate such a device, but obviously past patents != future plans.
  - tambourine_man 5y ago
    That’s my guess as well. Lots of hints on touch enabled UI in Big Sur. But whatever it was, seems to have been delayed or suspended.
  - eyelidlessness 5y ago
    > they built macOS X on Intel years before they announced the switch. Not a correction, just adding context: Mac OS X always had Intel builds, even before release. It would be surprising to me if they don’t still maintain Intel macOS builds just in case.
    - memetomancer 5y ago
      Apple will have to support Intel Macs until at least 2026? 2027? Beyond? ...so I would assume there is plenty of maintenance being done on x86 macOS.
- orang2tang 5y ago
  Mac OS on my iPad Mini 6 would make it a perfect device.
  - chipotle_coyote 5y ago
    Interesting. I’ve thought about macOS on bigger iPads, but never the mini. (I confess that personally, after a couple years of trying to make an iPad my main mobile device—and getting pretty good at making it do what I want, learning how capable iPadOS/iOS really is—I’ve retreated to my original circa-2011 understanding of “Macs are computers, iPads are appliances.”)
rock_artist 5y ago
I don’t know about the definition of touch,but I’ve been using the three-finger drag gesture for a while which seems similar in intention?
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
zimpenfish 5y ago
Possibly something to do with Sidecar[1] since you effectively gain a touch display if you extend onto an iPad? [1] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT210380 https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT210380

I suspect as of Big Sur that Apple were intending to release touchscreen Macs, but the changes to the OS in future versions makes me suspect that they then changed their mind.

newaccount74 5y ago
I think Apple prepares for a lot of eventualities internally and only some things end up being released. Eg. they built macOS X on Intel years before they announced the switch. It's quite possible someone is working on making macOS touch-screen capable, even when they don't have concrete plans for releasing a touch screen Mac.
- hirvi74 5y ago
  I've read articles about Apple patenting various technologies that would facilitate such a device, but obviously past patents != future plans.
- tambourine_man 5y ago
  That’s my guess as well. Lots of hints on touch enabled UI in Big Sur. But whatever it was, seems to have been delayed or suspended.
- eyelidlessness 5y ago
  > they built macOS X on Intel years before they announced the switch. Not a correction, just adding context: Mac OS X always had Intel builds, even before release. It would be surprising to me if they don’t still maintain Intel macOS builds just in case.
  - memetomancer 5y ago
    Apple will have to support Intel Macs until at least 2026? 2027? Beyond? ...so I would assume there is plenty of maintenance being done on x86 macOS.
orang2tang 5y ago
Mac OS on my iPad Mini 6 would make it a perfect device.
- chipotle_coyote 5y ago
  Interesting. I’ve thought about macOS on bigger iPads, but never the mini. (I confess that personally, after a couple years of trying to make an iPad my main mobile device—and getting pretty good at making it do what I want, learning how capable iPadOS/iOS really is—I’ve retreated to my original circa-2011 understanding of “Macs are computers, iPads are appliances.”)

rock_artist 5y ago

I don’t know about the definition of touch,but I’ve been using the three-finger drag gesture for a while which seems similar in intention?

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

zimpenfish 5y ago

Possibly something to do with Sidecar[1] since you effectively gain a touch display if you extend onto an iPad? [1] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT210380 https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT210380