【2011 Archives】

On the heels of Wednesday's Microsoft keynote in New York011 Archives Apple unveiled its own new products at an event Thursday at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

SEE ALSO: Apple doesn't need to build a car to get what it really wants

If you missed the live stream, here's everything you need to know:

A Touch Bar comes to the new MacBook Pro

Four years after losing the DVD drive and switching to Retina displays, Apple has again made a major change to its line of MacBook Pro laptops: the Touch Bar, pictures of which leaked two days ago.

---

You May Also Like

---

---

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The Touch Bar is a retina touchscreen strip that completely wipes out the row of function keys at the top of the most-recent MacBook Pro models. It's fully customizable and changes depending on what application you're using.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

In Messages for example, the Touch Bar can be used to scroll through emoji. In Photos, it can be used to sort through images.

What Apple really emphasized was how the Touch Bar can be used by creative professionals. Apple's executives demonstrated how it can be used in high-end applications like Final Cut Pro, DJ Pro, and Photoshop.

The rightmost part of the Touch Bar functions as a Touch ID sensor (like the one on the iPhone) which lets you unlock the laptop. It can also be used for Apple Pay.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

New MacBook Pros, but no update to the MacBook Air

After four years, Apple announced a major overall to its line of MacBook Pros. As expected, this is the thinnest and lightest MacBook Pro ever. It comes in two colors: space gray and silver.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The 13-inch option weighs 3 pounds and is only 14.9 millimeters (0.6 inch) thick, whereas the current models are 18mm (0.7 inch) thick.

The trackpad is also much larger. It's two times as large on the 15-inch model and almost 50 percent larger on the 13-inch.

As expected, the display is brighter, it has better contrast and it displays 25 percent more colors. Despite all the improvements, Apple claims the new laptops have up to 10 hours of battery life, which is slightly longer than older models.

A noteworthy feature on the new laptops is multiple Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C ports. The two models with the Touch Bar each come with four of them, any of which can be used for charging.

One drawback for photographers interested in the new Macbook Pros: None of the models come with an SD Card slot.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Although the ports are the new standard, they're super annoying because one of the best features of MacBooks used to have was that if you tripped over the MagSafe power cord, it would fall out, keeping your laptop from flying across the room.

The new USB-C cords hook more firmly into the device, so be careful.

The worst thing about the new cords though is that you're going to need yet another dongle if you have an iPhone 7.

Another hassle with the new ports is that you're going to need a different kind of cable or dongle if you have an iPhone 7.

The iPhone and iPad come with Lightning cords that connect to full-size USB ports, so they won't connect to the new Macbook Pros out of the box

The dongle you need to solve the problem will set you back $19, or you can just buy a new cord.

If you want to get a MacBook Pro with the new Touch Bar, the entry level price for the 13-inch model starts at $1,799. The 15-inch version begins at $2,399.

Even though it's Apple's most popular computer, the MacBook Air didn't get an update at Thursday's event. Instead, Apple took the time to actually rip on the computer, pointing out all the ways that the new MacBook Pros are better.

The lowest-end MacBook Pro announced (a 13-inch model sansTouch Bar) is likely what Apple expects to replace the Air's share of the market. It starts at $1,499 and only has two USB Type-C ports.

Orders for all three new MacBook Pros begin today, but the models with the Touch Bar won't ship for a couple of weeks.

One last thing: All three laptops come with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Apple re-invents 'TV'

Apple announced a new TV app — but it's notably missing two of the most beloved streaming services: Netflix and Amazon.

In typical Apple style, it's calling the app "TV" which couldn't be more confusing. It's designed to be a one-stop place for consumers to find shows, sports, events and everything else. It will be available free to all Apple TV (fourth-gen) owners beginning in December.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The app features Twitter and other social platforms, so you can watch a live sports game with tweets about it scrolling alongside.

The notable absence of Netflix in particular points to a growing rivalry between the streaming service and Apple. It was especially weird since Netflix is already available on Apple TV.

What is available on the app: Hulu, HBO, Starz and Showtime, which were each featured during the presentation. The new app is available on iPhone, iPad, and of course the Apple TV streaming device.

The best part about the App is that it seamlessly integrates between devices. If you were watching a show in bed on your iPad, the TV app will remember where you left off when you go back to watch the show on your flatscreen.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Minecraftalso got a shout-out during Apple's TV presentation. Tim Cook announced that the popular game will be coming to Apple TV by the end of 2016. It was an interesting tidbit since Apple rival Microsoft owns the game.

Topics Apple MacBook

(Editor: {typename type="name"/})