T2: Behind the Touch Bar and more

The MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar was a divisive addition in 2016 and for many it continues to be. MacFormat’s take is that the bar’s appeal really depends on the apps you use. We’ve seen one app developer turned on to what the bar affords in a coding tool, and we appreciate the ways it can be used in some productivity apps. It takes some getting used to, because there’s no haptic feedback like you get from the Taptic Engine in recent iPhone displays.

The introduction of the TouchBar and Touch ID authentication to the Mac came with the addition of an ARM -based processor. Back in 2016, that was the T1 processor, but in the 2018 refresh Apple has replaced that with the T2, which was first used in 2017’s iMac Pro.

The T2 processor integrates the functions of various controllers found in other Macs: the system management controller, and others responsible for the internal SS D, audio, and image signal processing. Additionally, the T2 offers security features that its predecessor didn’t. First of all, data on the built-in SS D is encrypted using keys that are tied to a unique identifier in the chip. Still, Apple says you should turn on FileVault so that the process of decrypting the data requires your password. The T2 also enables Apple’s Secure Boot feature, which ensures that only a trusted operating system (macOS or Microsoft Windows) loads when you power on the MacBook Pro. However unlikely it seems that malware might hijack the startup process, it’s good to see Apple taking preventative steps. Day to day, aside from using Touch ID to log in to your user account, you’ll most keenly feel the T2’s presence through the ability to call upon Siri by saying “Hey Siri”, just like you can do already on your other Apple devices.