Apple was granted a patent on November 28, originally filed in 2016, for a technology that could bring FaceID to the iMac and MacBook sooner rather than later. The patent uses technology from PixelSense, a company Apple acquired back in 2013, according to MacRumors. That technology was the basis for the Xbox One’s Kinect functionality, and eventually became part of the TrueDepth camera on the front of the iPhone X — the one that paints your face with IR dots for FaceID.
The patent details plans for a device which could sit atop a Mac like a webcam, and detect not only your face but your movements. This implementation, as a peripheral, seems unlikely for an Apple product though. Given how TouchID was integrated into the latest MacBook Pro lineup, rather than sold as an add-on, it seems more likely that Apple would embed a TrueDepth-like camera into a new lineup of Macs and MacBooks.
The images in the patent detail more than just using the camera to unlock your computer though. The patent describes the use of gestures like pushing and swiping to control on-screen elements, similar to how Kinect owners could control the on-screen interface on the Xbox One with simple gestures. Additionally, the patent suggests that users might couple FaceID with gestures to unlock compatible devices, adding another layer of security.
“An unlock gesture enables the user to engage a locked non-tactile 3D user interface, as pressing a specific sequence of keys unlocks a locked cellular phone. In some embodiments, the non-tactile 3D user interface conveys visual feedback to the user performing the focus and the unlock gestures,” the patent reads.
While this is all just speculation at this point, the patent comes at an interesting time for Apple. With the recent release of the iPhone X, FaceID is a technology that’s becoming as familiar and reliable as TouchID was. Despite the fact that it took a while for Apple to roll it into the MacBook Pro, things might move quicker with FaceID given Apple’s preference for unified functionality across all its devices. While we might not see it this coming year, it’s entirely possible we could see a FaceID-enabled MacBook or iMac sooner rather than later.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.