Since Steve Jobs death, outside of its trademark names, it could be argued that Apple has lost a bit of its magic. Sure they have the Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and likely the Magic Toolbar next week when it shows us its newest laptop offerings, but outside of mediocre upgrades to its existing products and the Apple Watch, the company has largely been fairly stagnating in its innovations.
Trademark Ninja tracks down copyright application for magic toolbar
As always with Apple we have precious few details from the company as to what it will be showing the public next week at its event that should see the updating of its laptop line including a MacBook Pro that has been long-rumored to have an OLED “Magic Toolbar” that will replace the row of function keys with a customizable strip that responds to the touch of the user.
Thanks to Brian Conroy at the Trademark Ninja, it appears that Apple has used a shell company called “Presto Apps America LLC” to apply for the copyright for its OLED strip/screen to replace the function row in both a 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro. Because of Apple’s use of Magic before mouse and trackpad, Conroy believes that “Presto Apps America LLC” is indeed Apple.
Here is the rationale behind his thinking:
They would almost certainly be able to stop any other company applying for the trademark ‘Magic Toolbar’, on the basis it’s similar to their existing trademarks and likely to cause confusion.
So, another company would have to be 100% certified insane to spend €16,000 in outlay for a trademark application that someone with the clout of Apple was almost certain to be able to object to and defeat. And that’s the main reason that I’m putting my neck on the line and saying that ‘Presto Apps America LLC’ is actually Apple.
Additionally, Conway did more digging that shows that that the same lawyers who filed a trademark for Apple’s “Airpods,” Conroy believes that that is surely not a coincidence and clearly believes that Apple is behind Presto Apps America LLC.
What else to expect from the new laptops?
In addition to the OLED mini display that users can customize as can developers we expect that the new MacBook Pros will feature Touch ID for the first time.
Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities is likely the most accurate and informative Apple leaker and predictor out there and it was in May that he started the rumor mill that has most of us believing that the OLED display will make its appearance next week. Additionally, Kuo sees Apple using Intel’s newest Skylake processors which should increase both the battery life of the two models as well as their performance.
Going back to The Trademark Ninja, the website believes that Apple has filed another trademark application for something called the “Smart Button,” which they believe will play host to the Touch ID support for the MacBook Pro and didn’t want it to be confused with the “home button” used in iPads and iPhones.
Lastly, many insiders, including Kuo at KGI, as well as rumors suggest that Apple with switch all three USB ports to USB Type-C ports which immediately suggests that the new MacBook Pros will get down to the thinness that Apple has accomplished with the MacBook Air.
Whether Apple will introduce a new MacBook Air next week is anyone’s guess, but we will all find out soon enough.
