Apple's Touch Bar guidelines steer devs away from non-interactive content, towards backwards compatibility

In its design guidelines for the Touch Bar on new MacBook Pro models, Apple is urging developers to skip any non-interactive content, as well as avoid cutting off owners of other Macs.

The Touch Bar shouldn't show "alerts, messages, scrolling content, static content, or anything else that commands the user's attention or distracts from their work on the main screen," according to the document. Developers are expected to treat it as an input device, rather than a second screen, and in fact the guidelines encourage matching buttons to the look of the physical keyboard, whenever possible.

Functions shouldn't be possible solely with the Touch Bar, Apple adds. This is not just for backwards compatibility, but because people can choose to disable app controls in macOS.

Some other recommendations include immediate responsiveness, and the ability to complete tasks in the Touch Bar if they're started there, unless there's no alternative. Apple is also nudging developers away from duplicating "well-known" keyboard shortcuts — like copy, cut, paste, save, or quit — or key-based navigation, such as Page Up or Page Down.

Apple announced the redesigned MacBook Pro at a Thursday press event. While it's already on sale, currently orders will only ship in 4 to 5 weeks.

To grab the lowest prices on Apple's new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, see AppleInsider's Mac Price Guide.

13 Comments

jamiel 11 Years · 20 comments

About 8 years ago

Any chance they'll introduce a new keyboard with the Touch Bar for users of iMacs and older MacBooks?

mike1 10 Years · 3437 comments

jamiel said:

Any chance they'll introduce a new keyboard with the Touch Bar for users of iMacs and older MacBooks?

Preferably included in a wireless EXTENDED keyboard. Although, I would understand if the battery requirements would preclude that.

dick applebaum 17 Years · 12525 comments

jamiel said:

Any chance they'll introduce a new keyboard with the Touch Bar for users of iMacs and older MacBooks?

Apple's USB kb sells for $50, their BT kb sells for $100. I suspect that the BT kb is not fast enough to be viable. Possibly, a new USB kb -- but probably would cost about $300.

It would seem to make more sense to use a connected iPad instead of putting the Touch Bar on a standalone kb.The least-expensive current iPad is $270.

I would like to see a direct attachment to the iPad Pro providing:
Touch Bar capability
graphic tablet capability for the Mac
second screen capability for the Mac
optional Pencil input for the above

And, then:
implementation of Xcode, FCP and Logic on the iPad Pro
Hand Off of apps between the Mac and iPad (FCP, Logic, iMovie, iWork, third-party apps)

Thus, you would add Touch Bar and mucho capability otro to the Mac, add mucho stand-alone capability to the iPad Pro -- and get long-lasting-battery, mobile computing at about half the cost of a new MBP!

Dos caminos divergen en un bosque amarillo...

mike1 said:

jamiel said:

Any chance they'll introduce a new keyboard with the Touch Bar for users of iMacs and older MacBooks?

Preferably included in a wireless EXTENDED keyboard. Although, I would understand if the battery requirements would preclude that.

Devices using the new [twice as fast] BT 5 spec are supposed to begin to appear late 2016 - early 2017 -- about now. Using BT 5, it might be technically possible to implement a BT kb with a Touch Bar.

But, at what cost? Don't know what the Touch Bar costs? Likely, you would need a new Mac (or a dongle) supporting BT 5.

I suspect that the reason there haven't been any iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro announcements is that the tech needed is not, yet, available...

BT 5 maybe part of that tech.

frac 14 Years · 480 comments

AppleInsider said:
Apple is urging developers to skip any non-interactive content, as well as avoid cutting off owners of other Macs.

The Touch Bar shouldn't show "alerts, messages, scrolling content, static content, or anything else that commands the user's attention or distracts from their work on the main screen," according to the document. Developers are expected to treat it as an input device, rather than a second screen, and in fact the guidelines encourage matching buttons to the look of the physical keyboard, whenever possible.

Apple is also nudging developers away from duplicating "well-known" keyboard shortcuts -- like copy, cut, paste, save, or quit -- or key-based navigation, such as Page Up or Page Down.

Well there's not much they can do to stop it outside of the App Store.