Apple to Bring Back Matte Displays as an Option on More Macs?

AppleInsider reports that Apple is considering bringing back matte antiglare displays in the form of an option on more of the company's Mac offerings. Currently available only as a $50 option on the 17" MacBook Pro, the report speculates that the 13" and 15" MacBook Pros are the most likely candidates for future inclusion of the option.

The transition towards glossy displays appears to have been sparked by the original iPhone, whose glass touchscreen and black border resonated well with customers. The reception was favorable enough that Apple, in a bid to push the envelope and standardize materials across its product families, gave similar treatment to its iMac line a few months later.

Further emboldened, Apple announced in October its new line of unibody notebooks would also forgo matte displays for glossy ones, with the exception of a $50 antiglare option on the pricey 17-inch MacBook Pro. These new displays "provide crisp images and vivid colors which are ideal for viewing photos and movies," Apple said, "and the edge-to-edge cover glass creates a smooth, seamless surface."

Apple's glossy displays have come under criticism from both professional image editors who note that the glossy displays interfere with color matching and a wider array of users who find the glare generated by Apple's glossy displays under bright conditions distracting. Apple has reportedly been following various petitions and discussions regarding the complaints and is making plans to address them in future product revisions.