Apple’s brand new MacBook Pro for 2016 will feature a gorgeous slimmed-down aluminum case and a sleek design that rivals will continue to chase. It will feature next-generation processors and cutting-edge specs that make it the fastest and most powerful MacBook Pro Apple has ever produced. The new high-end notebook computer will include an upgraded display panel and better battery life than any of its predecessors. But despite all of those hot new improvements, there’s one new feature that people will be buzzing about more than anything else: a long thin OLED touchscreen display that will replace the top row of keys on the keyboard. Supposedly dubbed the “Magic Toolbar,” this new screen will offer users a new way to control their apps, and it may also give us a preview of next-generation Touch ID tech that will help define Apple’s iPhone 8 lineup in 2017.
Well guess what — thanks to a big leak, you don’t need to wait until Apple’s event this afternoon to seen the new Magic Toolbar-equipped MacBook Pro.
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Behold, Apple’s next-generation MacBook Pro:
Here’s another angle:
These aren’t mockups or renders of Apple’s next-generation MacBook Pro based on rumors. These are images of Apple’s actual late-2016 MacBook Pro that were found buried in the latest version of Apple’s macOS Sierra operating system earlier this week. That’s right, this is the real deal, ladies and gentlemen. So if you missed them the first time around and you weren’t sure exactly what to expect from Apple’s big event on Thursday afternoon, consider the mystery solved.
The new OLED touchscreen at the top of Apple’s keyboard is expected to be a dynamic control bar equipped with 3D Touch and Apple’s taptic engine. The display will show different graphics and controls based on which app you’re using at the time, and advanced haptic feedback will make touches feel like button presses, as is the case with the new home button on Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
What’s more, the new OLED bar has a hidden Touch ID fingerprint scanner positioned on the right side of the screen, as seen in the image above. Rumors have suggested that it may be a new next-generation scanner, though nothing has been confirmed at this point. MacBook Pro users will be able to unlock their laptops using Touch ID, and they’ll be able to authenticate Apple Pay payments as well. Third-party apps may also be able to utilize Touch ID, though that has not been confirmed at this point.
Apple’s big October event is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM EDT / 10:00 AM PDT on Thursday, and BGR will be covering all the news as it breaks.
