Why ‘Gorilla Arm Syndrome’ Rules Out Multitouch Notebook Displays
Apple’s new MacBook Air borrows a lot of things from the iPad, including hyperportability and instant-on flash storage. But the Air won’t use an iPad-like touchscreen. Neither will any of Apple’s laptops. That’s because of what designers call “gorilla arm.”
And while Apple points to its own research on this problem, it’s a widely recognized issue that touchscreen researchers have known about for decades. “We’ve done tons of user testing on this,” Steve Jobs said in Wednesday’s press conference, “and it turns out it doesn’t work. Touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical. It gives great demo, but after a short period of time you start to fatigue, and after an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off.”
This why Jobs says Apple’s invested heavily in developing multitouch recognition for its trackpads, both for its laptops, on its current-generation Mighty Mouse and on its new standalone Magic Trackpad. Avi Greengart of Current Analysis agrees it’s a smart move, borne out of wisdom gathered from watching mobile and desktop users at work.
