The legendary Touch Bar is back on Mac (but not in the way you imagine)

In 2023, Apple would definitively burythe Touch Bar, this touch strip which had replaced the row of function keys on MacBook Pros since 2016. This experiment, which had divided Mac users for seven years, could experience an unexpected second life. A Hong Kong startup, ENIAC, now offersresurrect this concept in a more accomplished form: the Flexbar. A project available in detail onon the Kickstarter page.

The Flexbar: a Touch Bar 3.0

If ENIAC only proposed a simple imitation, the project would have little interest,the Flexbar is a true reinvention.Where the original Touch Bar was limited to a thin tactile strip integrated into theMacBook Pro, the Flexbar deploys an imposing 10-inch 2K AMOLED screen for a weight barely exceeding 70 g.

This generous dimension is accompaniedunprecedented versatility: The device connects not only to Macs, but also to PCs, iPads and iPhones via USB-C. A technical choice that frees the concept from its Apple shackles to open it to a broader ecosystem.

Its interface allows integrationquite advanced in common applications: Youtube, suite Adobeor even AutoCAD (CAD and 2D/3D drawing software), which would benefit from “advanced native controls».

Advanced features and pricing

Thanks to its open programming interface (API), it can easily be connected to other tools if third-party developers take advantage of it. The ENIAC team designed a JavaScript-based SDK, paving the way foralmost unlimited automation possibilities.

Indeed, the intelligence of the system is based onits capacity for contextual adaptation. The Flexbar analyzes the active window and automatically switches between different interfaces depending on the current task. The functionWorkspaceallows you to save and play back their favorite configurations in just a few gestures.

For complex and repetitive tasks,FlexbarDesignerintroduces a one-click macro recording system. The tool captures mouse movements and keystrokes to faithfully reproduce them, whether in professional software or a game. An approach that directly addresses the main criticism leveled at the original Touch Bar:its lack of intuitiveness.

ENIAC offersa pre-order for 120 dollars(excluding shipping costs; 14 dollars for France) for delivery announced in February 2025. However,caution remains in order: ENIAC, a novice in hardware production, will have to face the passage ofpromising prototypehasfinished and useful object.

• The Flexbar offers a 10-inch AMOLED 2K touchscreen, customizable and compatible with Mac, PC, iPad and iPhone.
• It offers advanced integrations, custom macros, and contextual adaptation for creative and technical software.
• Available for pre-order on Kickstarter, the first deliveries are scheduled for February 2025.