R.I.P. Touch Bar; hello, next-gen MacBook Pro!

October 23, 2021

Despite all the talk about those screaming new MacBook Pros (and the crazy-fast M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that power them), we didn't hear much this week about another major change coming to Apple's high-end notebooks.

No, not the old-school ports the laptops' new design restores. I'm talking about the Touch Bar -- the futuristic LED touch strip that Apple unceremoniously killed this week.

Graham Bower, Cult of Mac's resident Touch Bar fanatic, penned an ode to the under-appreciated feature.

R.I.P., Touch Bar. We barely knew ye.

— Lewis Wallace, managing editor

P.S. If you didn't read about all the other great new gear Apple unveiled during this week's "Unleashed" event, the links below will get you up to speed.

News and opinion

The MacBook Pro’s innovative input strip was a technological marvel in its day. Now it's dead. A eulogy for the Touch Bar.

The lengthy wait for a major MacBook Pro refresh is over, and boy, was it worth it.

Plus, more from Apple's "Unleashed" event:

This is the cautionary tale of the other polishing cloth designed to keep all your Apple gear clean.

In 2016, Apple proudly unveiled a new MacBook Pro that rejected the HDMI port, the MagSafe charger and the SD card reader of the past. Fast forward to 2021, and the company just released new MacBook Pro models with an HDMI port, MagSafe and SD card reader. Why the reversal?

Everyone should be familiar with Low Power Mode on their iPhone, but top-tier configurations of the new MacBook Pro will reportedly have “High Power Mode.”

Plus, more on the new MacBook Pros:

Apple's new 140W charger enables fast-charging up to 50% in a mere 30 minutes, but the beefy brick that enables it looks comically large.

Apple didn’t deliver the 27-inch iMac refresh many fans were hoping for during its big “Unleashed” event, but it might arrive next year.

Plus, more Apple rumors and leaks:

Deals

No matter how powerful your Mac, Apple computers can be restrictive when it comes to downloading, ripping and managing your media. The smart way to take control of your videos is with top-rated apps, like the ones included in the MacX Media Management Bundle. On sale now for just $39.99!

Protect your shiny new iPhone with a shiny new case. Shop now in the Cult of Mac Store, because this sale ends Monday.

This beefy ScoutPro battery pack gives you all the power you need to get on the road or off the grid.

For a limited time, this handheld LCD video game console with 400 built-in games is on sale for just $24.99.

Reviews

Will Apple TV+ viewers get excited about yet another sci-fi series? Invasion, which debuted Friday, follows a half-dozen people as an alien force wreaks havoc all over the world.

Plus, more Apple TV+ reviews:

Apple’s third-gen AirPods (and upgraded AirPods Pro) ship with MagSafe-compatible charging cases. That's great -- and these accessories make MagSafe charging even better.

Mount the RapidX MyCharging Station on a wall socket and it can juice up all your gear without taking up counter space.

AirPods always look great when you first take them out of their box, but it only takes a few days for that shiny white case to become covered in scuffs and scratches. That’s why you should protect yours.

Setups

These days, you can find computers and monitors with pretty good speakers. Or you can set up a pair HomePod minis or some nice little Bluetooth speakers for solid sound. But some people aren’t happy unless they have massive audio power on the desktop.

Who says an M1 Mac mini and a revved-up gaming PC can’t get along?

When it comes to dual displays, you often see side-by-side horizontal monitors. And sometimes you see a horizontal screen and a vertical one. But here's to the rare stacked displays, with one landscape-oriented monitor mounted on top of another.