The 16-inch MacBook Pro has been in the news lately with its noteworthy feature of a lid angle sensor. Since then, most tech gurus have been on a complete dissection mode to understand this unique feature. It is believed that the feature helps monitor the opening and shutting of the MacBook Pro and also gauges the exact position of the laptop lid. While it was earlier being ignored by tech pundits in their analysis of this laptop, it has gained attention recently with widespread discussions after Apple’s subtle confirmation of its functionality.
The mention of this sensor was found in one of the service documents sent to the authorized service providers for the company. It was found that there is a small sensor inside the machine located exactly on the left-hand side. Experts have also noticed a hinge in the laptop that comes with a magnet inside it. The hinge’s polarity is indicated with the help of an arrow.
It is believed that Apple had earlier used a Hall-effect sensor in the previous MacBook Pro versions to determine whether the laptop’s lid is closed or open and also know its position. The lid angle sensor, on the other hand, is assumed to be far more accurate as compared to the Hall-effect sensor. Experts believe that this sensor may help Apple in ascertaining the number of times that the lid is closed or opened. This is in preparation for the ‘Flexgate’ issue that might crop up at any point in the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Most experts highlight the flexgate issue in previous MacBook Pro machines, which affected the display flex cable, especially when the lid was constantly opened or closed. Apple had to eventually launch a repair program for free to fix the issue and ensure that customers are satisfied.
It may seem like Apple has done a great deal to ensure that the 16-inch MacBook Pro comes free of any historical issues that MacBooks may have faced. It switched from the dysfunctional butterfly keyboard to a scissor keyboard and has built a thicker machine for enhanced thermal performance.
While very little is exactly known of the lid angle sensor, a guess from the name itself could indicate that it helps in tracking the precise angle of the laptop lid. Experts are starting to speculate that it may help in keeping a track of the display adjustment for better analysis of design rectifications.
