March 1, 2021 Everything we expect from the next generation of Apple keyboard and mouse in redesigning the iMac Computer. Not only are we expecting a wide-ranging redesign later this year, but noted leaker Jon Prosser recently claimed Apple is working on multiple new colors for the computer. Aesthetic changes aside. The concept allowed Apple to create a slimmer keyboard design, but some tech reviewers have called it Apple's worst invention of all time. These keyboards have attracted much criticism since they were introduced, so much so that Apple has attempted to redesign them twice and is back with a third redesign. Apple has updated its laptops with CPU bumps and a fourth redesign of its problem-plagued keyboard. We recommend waiting to see what the teardown verdict is, even if you want one of these systems.
It may not be long before we see the iMac sporting a dramatic redesign. New Apple patent filings point to a potential iMac that's made almost entirely out of a single sheet of glass, which would be a big departure from the iMac we're familiar with today. Obviously, there's no guarantee that Apple will actually pursue such a design in a mass market product, but the fact that patent filing exists does indicate that it's something Apple has considered.
Apple Keyboard Redesign Apps
The patent application was published to the USPTO website last week and later discovered by the folks at Apple Insider. The illustrations that accompany the application show a unibody design built with a large sheet of glass that's curved at the bottom. Users would potentially be able to rest peripherals on that bottom section, such as a keyboard and mouse, though it seems that there's also the potential for those peripherals to be built into the glass itself.
Obviously, the computer you see in that first illustration wouldn't be able to stand upright on its own, which has led Apple to include a wedge that acts as a stand behind it. That stand could also house hardware, whether that's ports or even the computer's power supply.
Apple's patent doesn't just stop at one solid piece of glass, though, as it also mentions the possibility of folding up the lower portion to make the all-in-one easier to transport. In another illustration, we see a gap in the glass that would allow for users to slot a MacBook's keyboard through and type on that. Macbook pro android phone. Apple's patent application covers a lot of different possibilities for an all-glass iMac, so it's clear that Apple has thought about this a lot.
Again, the fact that a patent application exists doesn't mean that we'll someday see Tim Cook get up on stage and reveal this product, but it is interesting to see some the ideas Apple has cooking up behind the scenes. We'll see if this product ever sees the light of day, but for now, head down to the comments section and let us know if you'd buy an iMac made entirely out of glass.
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Apple has once again updated the MacBook Pro lineup, this time with a set of CPU tweaks across the 13-inch and 15-inch product families. The company's keyboard also came in for another set of tweaks, alongside modifications to the repair program.
CPU Bumps
As part of its mid-year refresh, Apple has swapped to slightly faster 9th Gen processors for its various notebooks. The table below summarizes the changes.
In addition to these adjustments, there's a new top-end CPU choice for the most expensive MacBook Pro. Previously, the highest-end CPU you could put into the 15-inch MacBook Pro was a six-core chip with a 2.9GHz base clock and 4.8GHz turbo. It's been replaced by a 2.4GHz eight-core CPU with a 5GHz Turbo.
Apple claims that the new eight-core Macs offer up to 40 percent more performance than the previous six-core variants, though there's good reason to be dubious about that kind of claim. The bump from 6 to 8 cores is good for a theoretical 1.33x performance boost, assuming perfect scaling, but you'll only see a 40 percent gain if the laptops can take full advantage of higher core counts and additional clock speed. Thermal throttling makes this intrinsically unlikely. Laptop CPUs can't typically maintain the same clocks as their desktop counterparts. Real-world improvements are likely to be smaller than this.
Keyboard Changes
Apple claims to have once again made material changes to its keyboard that will prevent debris or other detritus from becoming stuck under keys and leading to either non-responsive keys or multiple key-presses being logged from a single button touch. The company, however, refused to comment on the specifics of these changes or why it made them.
CPU Bumps
As part of its mid-year refresh, Apple has swapped to slightly faster 9th Gen processors for its various notebooks. The table below summarizes the changes.
In addition to these adjustments, there's a new top-end CPU choice for the most expensive MacBook Pro. Previously, the highest-end CPU you could put into the 15-inch MacBook Pro was a six-core chip with a 2.9GHz base clock and 4.8GHz turbo. It's been replaced by a 2.4GHz eight-core CPU with a 5GHz Turbo.
Apple claims that the new eight-core Macs offer up to 40 percent more performance than the previous six-core variants, though there's good reason to be dubious about that kind of claim. The bump from 6 to 8 cores is good for a theoretical 1.33x performance boost, assuming perfect scaling, but you'll only see a 40 percent gain if the laptops can take full advantage of higher core counts and additional clock speed. Thermal throttling makes this intrinsically unlikely. Laptop CPUs can't typically maintain the same clocks as their desktop counterparts. Real-world improvements are likely to be smaller than this.
Keyboard Changes
Apple claims to have once again made material changes to its keyboard that will prevent debris or other detritus from becoming stuck under keys and leading to either non-responsive keys or multiple key-presses being logged from a single button touch. The company, however, refused to comment on the specifics of these changes or why it made them.
At this point, Apple's failing keyboards are an industry joke. I wouldn't recommend buying an Apple laptop until a third-party like iFixit has had an opportunity to dismantle it and confirm that the keyboard has been substantially improved. This is where we are with the company — and while it's made changes to its keyboard repair program, including extending it to cover machines that weren't previously covered, the company is also still selling machines with the broken keyboards in place, most likely because it doesn't want to admit that it sells defective merchandise.
If Apple was serious about fixing its keyboards, the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar would have been updated to the new keyboard design along with the rest of these systems. It wasn't. When Apple launched its third update of the MacBook Pro keyboard, it was reviewers who said the key jamming issue should be reduced. Apple pointedly refused comment. Apple is still refusing comment, most likely to avoid saying anything that might be used against it in a court of law.
Apple Keyboard Redesign Keyboard
Even if you love Apple products, it makes sense to wait and see what the verdict is on this fourth redesign before dropping four figures on a new laptop. Better to wait a few days for iFixit than to spend that time running back and forth to an Apple Store, especially if you don't have an Apple Store nearby. The company may have streamlined its repair procedures, but having a machine out-of-commission for even a day can be a major hassle, depending on whether you have a spare rig. There's also no word on whether these Macs fix the audio bug that afflicts systems equipped with Apple's T2 security chip. There've been no major media reports on the issue since we discussed it in late-February, which implies (but does not confirm) that it remains unaddressed. That may be another reason to avoid upgrading until the issue can be confirmed as solved.
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