Touch

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Craig Federighi, Apple senior vice president of software engineering, talks up iOS 8.1 during Thursday’s event.
Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

CUPERTINO, Calif. — When will we see a touch-screen Mac? Maybe never — at least according to Apple’s head of software.

Craig Federighi, Apple senior vice president of software engineering, told CNET after the company’s iPad and Mac launch Thursday that introducing Macs with touch screens is something Apple has no plans to do.

“We don’t think it’s the right interface, honestly,” he said. “Mac is sort of a sit-down experience.”

Federighi added that it’s awkward and uncomfortable to sit at a desk and continuously reach forward to touch a computer screen. It’s not like an iPad or iPhone that you hold in your hands and use in a “very relaxed position.”

“We’ve really focused on building the best track pads we can, something where it feels [like] your posture’s relaxed, it’s a comfortable machine to use,” he said. “And, of course, over the years we’ve experimented with all the technology, but we found it just wasn’t good. … We’re not all that interested in building one.”

Federighi made the comments following Apple’s “special event” at its headquarters in Cupertino. The company unveiled its new iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 devices, as well as a high-definition, Retina 5K display iMac and an updated Mac Mini computer. Federighi also demonstrated features of Apple’s Mac OS X Yosemite software and its iOS 8.1 mobile operating system.

Apple’s lack of interest, according to Federighi, contrasts with what everyone else is doing in the computer industry. Microsoft’s Windows 8 software, released in 2012, included touch capabilities that allowed PC companies to build laptops and desktops with touch screens. Many soon rushed to do just that. Dell, Asus and other computer companies have all released touch-screen all-in-one devices similar to Apple’s iMac.

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Along with the user experience, another reason Apple could be shying away from touch-screen computers is that its Mac OS X is not a touch-friendly user interface. Apple has kept the computer operating system distinct from its iOS mobile software, though features such as “Handoff” now allow the two programs to better interact.

Of course, never say never with Apple. Former CEO Steve Jobs famously trashed 7-inch tablets, saying in late 2010 that they were
and were “too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with an iPad.” Apple ended up launching the 7.9-inch iPad Mini in November 2012. Jobs also spoke out against bigger-screen smartphones, but Apple introduced its 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus last month.

There also are hopes that Apple will release a so-called iPad Pro in early 2015. The big-screen tablet is believed to sport a 12.9-inch display.

Many big businesses have scooped up hybrid devices that convert between tablets and laptops. Apple doesn’t offer such a device, and it doesn’t look like it will make a hybrid product anytime soon, not even with the iPad Pro as some had hoped. Two years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook famously compared hybrids to combining a toaster and a refrigerator. But market watchers believe the iPad Pro will pair well with keyboards to serve as an alternative to a full-fledged computer.

Hands-on with the new Apple iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 (pictures)

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Touch

Customer satisfaction is greater among users of smartphones and handsets sporting touch screens than among those whose wireless phones require other input methods, according to two new J.D. Power surveys released Thursday.

The survey measuring customer satisfaction among smartphone owners in the U.S. found that smartphones with touch screens ranked 771 out of 1,000 points, a full 40 points higher than smartphones without a touch screen. A little more than half of owners said their smartphone has a touch screen. Though touch screens aren’t as prevalent on traditional mobile phones, satisfaction with those devices reached 756 points on the scale, 53 points higher than the industry average, the survey of traditional-handset owners showed.

Smartphones were ranked for ease of operation, operating system, physical design, features, and battery power. Traditional handsets were graded for their operation, overall design, features, and battery life. Individual scores in each category were added up to create a total grade for each different brand of popular phones.

Among smartphone manufacturers, Apple hit the No. 1 spot for overall satisfaction with a score of 810, followed by BlackBerry maker Research In Motion with a grade of 741. Among companies who make traditional handsets, LG won the top spot by scoring 729, following by Sanyo at 712 and Samsung at 703.


J.D. Power and Associates

J.D. Power and Associates

The surveys also found that both smartphone and traditional-handset owners are using their phones more for entertainment and to share photos, music, and videos with family, friends, and social networks. Among smartphone users, 50 percent said they share multimedia, while 25 percent of traditional-handset users said the same.

The surveys were based on feedback from 13,590 owners of traditional mobile phones and 4,480 smartphone owners who’ve used their current phones for less than two years. Both surveys were conducted between July and December.

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