Apple over the past two days has started approving Mac App Store apps that have been updated with Touch Bar support on the new MacBook Pro.
One of the first Touch Bar apps is OmniGraffle 7, a popular vector drawing tool for designing graphics and diagrams. After updating to version 7.2, users will have access to text controls when editing labels, for example, or manipulation controls when working with shapes. Without anything selected on the canvas on the main screen, the Touch Bar can be used to add shape, a stencil, or an image.
Speed-Up, a utility for speeding up or slowing down audio playback directly in iTunes, also saw its Touch Bar update approved earlier today. Other apps that now support the Touch Bar include Gestimer, Opus One, Disk Aid, and Memory Clean 2, and several more popular apps will be updated over the coming days and weeks. Those interested can track Mac app updates on our sister site AppShopper.
The Touch Bar is a narrow strip of glass above the keyboard that provides both system and app-specific controls based on what you are doing. The touchscreen sits in place of the standard row of function keys on the new MacBook Pro and includes Touch ID for faster logins and Apple Pay. Learn more by reading our Touch Bar hands-on roundup and Apple executive Craig Federighi's interview about the Touch Bar.
Top Rated Comments
But you know what would make it look even nicer? If it were placed one row above my escape and function keys.
If there isn't a System Preferences option to keep esc/fn keys always displayed by default, I'm sad to say I'll be done with Apple. And even if there is, I'm still not sure I can, or should, adapt.
I'm considering the Razer Blade Pro, but that ridiculous placement of the up-arrow key is probably a deal-breaker. It's a real shame no one makes a laptop as nice as the late-2011 17" MacBook Pro, or an OS as great as OS X Snow Leopard.
It would be neat for quick edits and what not but it would never replace the need for a real tablet or something equivalent. And to think, that Modbook was around so long ago and Apple has yet to make something like that. I always thought that was around the corner. I nearly bought one of those a couple times but didn't need the mobility.