In 2015, Apple ended a decade-long tradition and released the first MacBook without a glowing Apple logo. Some may mourn the glowing logo MacBooks, but Apple’s decision was for good reason.
The thinnest MacBook ends glowing logos forever
About eight years ago Apple released the thinnest MacBook to date. The 12-inch MacBook was only 13.1 millimeters thick, making it 24 percent thinner than the 2014 MacBook Air.
In order for the MacBook to be so thin, Apple developed an extremely flat keyboard that used an innovative key design. Instead of the traditional scissor system used in most laptop keyboards, it used a butterfly system that took up less space.
The butterfly keys take up less space than the scissor keys.
However, saving space became an issue for Apple in the years that followed, as the Butterfly system is far more susceptible to dust or dirt, leading to numerous repair cases and a class-action lawsuit against Apple.
That’s why Apple has been using an adapted scissor system on its MacBooks since the 2019 MacBook Pro in 16 inches.
So Apple removed the glowing logo
But not only the lower half of the MacBook had to save space. The upper half, i.e. the area of the display, also had to be thinner. However, this resulted in two problems in combination with the Apple logo.
In order for the Apple logo to glow on the back of a MacBook, it must be cut into the back of the display. This makes the back more unstable and vulnerable to external forces.
In certain lighting conditions, the Apple logo could be seen through the screen.
The transparent logo also allowed light to shine from the outside onto the back of the display. For example, when a strong light source, such as the sun, shined on the back of the display, it created a bright spot in the middle of the MacBook’s screen.
However, this effect did not only occur when working in the sun. When users worked on the MacBook in the dark with the Apple logo on, the logo could sometimes be seen on the screen. In the end, the decision was made to remove the glowing logo.
The Apple logo is less important these days
The glowing Apple logo started appearing on more and more Apple devices in the late 1990s. With this, Steve Jobs probably wanted to give Apple products something special and eye-catching, all with the aim of bringing them back into the mainstream.
There is no Apple logo printed on the AirPods Max.
Nowadays Apple is so well known and successfulthat the meaning of a single design feature is presumably less important based on the logo.
Apple goes even further on some products and omits the Apple logo entirely. For example, there is no Apple logo on either the AirPods Max or the 24-inch iMac.
But not all of the company’s ideas hit the mark. Apple has also made a lot of bad decisions over time: And by the iPhone makers of all people: Apple’s 9 biggest design fails.
Have you ever owned a MacBook with a glowing logo? Do you miss the glowing Apple logo or did it just bother you? Should Apple bring the glowing logo back to the MacBook? Feel free to write your opinion in the comments.
