Apple has just released its touchscreen MacBook Pro, and there’s plenty to get excited about. It’s the first MacBook with an OLED display, powered by the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and even gets the Dynamic Island from the iPhone. We’ve heard plenty about these upgrades through leaks and rumors over the past few months, but one thing I wasn’t prepared for was the return of the glowing Apple logo.
An old MacBook signature makes a comeback
The illuminated Apple logo was once one of the most recognizable features of Apple’s laptops. The company started phasing it out in 2015, followed by the MacBook Pro in 2016 and MacBook Air in 2018.
The old logo borrowed light from the display’s backlight, and removing it helped Apple make thinner display lids. Interestingly, the new MacBook Pro is even slimmer, yet Apple has found a way to bring it back.
A sign of Apple’s changing priorities?
Apple’s leadership has also changed. New CEO John Ternus, formerly head of hardware engineering, is reportedly taking a hands-on approach to design, spending considerable time with Apple’s industrial and software design teams. While I wouldn’t credit him personally for the logo’s return, I find the timing interesting. Perhaps Apple is rediscovering some of its old willingness to experiment and take design risks without sacrificing personality for functionality.
It’s just a glowing logo, but seeing it return makes me hopeful about where Apple’s design philosophy is headed. There’s no word on how it works yet, but Apple will likely tell us more soon.
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