

Whenever there's talk of a touchscreen Mac, Steve Jobs is invoked. That's because he famously said that touchscreens on computers were rubbish because they would give you sore arms – although the context, that he said it when he was telling people to buy the original iPad rather than touchscreen Windows PCs, tends to be forgotten. I think Steve Jobs was right, but only if you think of Macs in their current shape.
Jobs' words are back in the spotlight because Mark Gurman of Bloomberg says Apple is finally considering making touchscreen Macs. The project is in its very early stages and may not result in a shipping product, but I hope it does – and I hope it's more ambitious than the touchscreen MacBook Gurman says Apple's engineers are working on.
At the moment, Apple has been concentrating on making its bigger iPads more Mac-like. But I'm not sure that works. I'd much rather have a MacBook that turns into something akin to an iPad than an iPad Pro that's almost like, but not as good as, a MacBook, and that only becomes one via expensive accessories.
Reach out and touch faith
I agree with Jobs that vertical touchscreens are horrible for long periods. But as a long-term Mac and iPad user, the latter since the very first generation, I can think of countless ways in which a touchscreen 2-in-1 Mac would be brilliant.
I've been covering Mac rumours for a terrifyingly long time, and Apple keeps teasing us with patents for transforming laptops. Sadly none of them have made it into production, but I'd really like one anyway. It'd be the perfect laptop for me.
There's portability – using a Mac in iPad mode would be much easier on a bus, train or plane, or on the sofa. And there's flexibility. For example, My MacBook Pro sits at the side when I use Logic Pro on my large widescreen monitor. Wouldn't it be great if I could fold it over and use its touchscreen to control the mixer for my tracks, or to use it to scrub through video in Final Cut, or to do any of the other things in creative apps that are more fun and intuitive when they're tactile?
Maybe I'm in a minority here, because I'm one of the few people who really likes the Touch Bar. But whenever I see a genuinely innovative device such as Asus's Zenbook Pro 14 Duo, or just a really well thought out one such as any of the best 2-in-1 laptops, I can't help thinking: I wish my Mac did that.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
The travel gadget I won't leave home without just got an upgrade in the AirFly Pro 2
As a frequent flyer, Twelve South's AirFly products are invaluable to me for wire-free listening with my own headphones
By Mike Lowe Published
-
Nespresso adds a pretty pop of pink to its Vertuo line – and it's perfect for spring
Get ready to add a splash of colour to your coffee routine
By Lizzie Wilmot Published
-
New evidence suggests Apple's taking its foldable iPhone seriously
And it might bring something different to the party too
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
EU paves the way for iPhones and Android devices to ditch USB-C entirely
Clarification enables Apple, Samsung and others to switch to wireless charging only
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Apple's first foldable could come with an unexpected feature, claims expert
If it ends up being true, we'd be absolutely fine with it.
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Google's Pixel 9a does one simple thing that could tempt me away from iPhones after a decade
Google's played a blinder here
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple could have two Studio Displays in the pipeline, but there's mystery behind the second
The great Apple monitor mystery – is Apple making two Studio Displays or something even bigger?
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Google Maps design update finally comes to iPhone after Android owners have enjoyed it for months
It should make one-handed use much easier
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
MacBook Air M4 ups the power, battery life and is surprisingly cheaper
Apple announces a new MacBook Air with a big upgrade to M4 processing
By Rik Henderson Published
-
There's an ingenious and cheap way to make sure you never lose your camera
If you're worried about losing your expensive camera, this little device could help
By Chris Hall Published