Apple Unveiled New Mac Computers

Apple unveiled new Mac computers as it seeks to revitalize a product line that co-founder Steve Jobs once said would be rendered redundant by the iPad, according to Bloomberg. Overhauled MacBook Pro laptops and a new computer monitor were presented in a press conference at Apple’s Cupertino, California, headquarters. While laptops are traditionally more profitable for Apple than the iPad, customers often spend more on films, music and apps with the iPad, making it a long-term moneymaker. The new MacBook Pro has a Touch ID fingerprint scanner which makes it easier to buy online using the Apple Pay payments system.

Jobs heralded tablets as laptop replacements by calling the iPad a “post-PC“ device after it launched in 2010. But products like the MacBook Pro have shown surprising resilience. While Mac revenue has fallen from its 2015 peak, the decline in iPad sales has been more precipitous and the laptop now outsells the tablet. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has meanwhile sought to expand services revenue from the App Store, iTunes and iCloud to offset slowing hardware sales. The new version of the MacBook Pro comes with either a 13-inch or 15-inch display. The new laptops are lighter, thinner and narrower than their predecessors, and include larger trackpads and faster chips.

The highlight was a new digital function display at the top of the keyboard called the Touch Bar, replacing physical buttons. The thin organic light-emitting diode screen allows functions to change based on the application currently in use. Prices start at $1,499 for a 13-inch version without the new Touch Bar. The 15-inch one starts at $2,399, Apple said. Apple also announced a 5K monitor developed with LG that connects to the new MacBook Pro, and a new TV app.