Apple has applied for a patent which shows that it might be working on bringing force touch to MacBook Touch Bar. The timing is surprising as Apple just removed support for Force Touch from Apple Watch in watchOS 7, which showed that they might be sunsetting this feature for good.
Force Touch might come to MacBook Touch Bar, as per new patent
Force Touch is a feature that senses touch and provides responses based on the amount of pressure applied on the surface, whether it is a display or a trackpad. Although Touch Bar is not everyone’s favorite feature, as it makes it a bit slower to access system features such as volume changes, this patent confirms that Apple is actively working on adding more functionality to the MacBook Pro feature.
The new patent application, which was actually filed in May 2019, explains the force-sensitivity intended to be added to the Touch Bar:
Embodiments described herein generally take the form of an electronic device including a primary and secondary display; at least the secondary display is force-sensitive and further has its force-sensing circuitry in-plane with the display. The secondary display and force-sensing circuitry may be encapsulated between two glass layers that are bonded to one another by a frit. In some embodiments the force-sensing circuitry is formed from, or constitutes part of, the frit.
Apple had first introduced Force Touch with the trackpad in 12-inch MacBook in 2015. It worked with a Taptic Engine beneath the trackpad, which could detect pressure and provide appropriate responses. For example, you can force touch on words to open look up in macOS, which shows definitions, or related information for the selection. Even though Macs still ship with Force Touch trackpads, Apple removed the feature from the latest watchOS software update which might be a sign that Apple would remove Force Touch feature from future Apple Watch models, like it removed 3D Touch in favor of Haptic Touch on iPhones.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the MacBook Touch Bar is that it does not provide any feedback upon touch which means that users cannot use it as fast as they can use physical buttons. However, the issue might be fixed for good if Apple adds haptic feedback with Force Touch to the Touch Bar.
via Patently Apple
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