Apple in just a few days will unveil some sweeping and long-overdue changes to its stagnant Mac lineup, with the venerable MacBook Pro slated to receive a particularly dramatic overhaul. As we covered previously, Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro will not only feature upgraded specs, but will also incorporate an OLED display panel located at the top of the keyboard. It’s also believed that Apple’s new MacBook Pro will feature built-in Touch ID functionality, a larger trackpad and a shallower and more reliable keyboard like the 12-inch MacBook.
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But just when we thought we had it all figured out, along comes reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with some tantalizing new details at the 11th hour. Over the weekend, Kuo issued a new research report to investors where he added quite a bit of information about Apple’s upcoming Mac themed event.
In the note, which MacRumors obtained a copy of, Kuo sheds some light on the upcoming MacBook Pro’s processor, display technology and more.
Our new predictions also include: (1) Intel’s (US) Skylake processor; (2) the same panel resolution but better display quality and energy efficiency thanks to an oxide panel; (3) a new option of 2TB SSD storage capacity; (4) adoption of a similar processor as Apple Watch to control the OLED touch bar more energy-efficiently in the new MacBook Pro models; and (5) a Type-C & MagSafe-like adapter rolled out by Apple or a third-party supplier, given positive reviews for the MagSafe charging design.
There’s quite a bit of excitement to unpack here. One, with Intel’s power efficient Skylake processors in the mix, along with improved display technology, it will be interesting to see if battery life on the 2016 MacBook Pro takes a huge leap forward. As a point of reference, Apple’s current 13-inch MacBook Pro delivers up to 10 hours of battery life while browsing the web. Moving along, a 2TB SSD storage option is certainly welcome, but we’re most excited about Apple’s upcoming notebook sporting a MagSafe-like USB-C adapter.
As far as other Mac products are concerned, Kuo relays that we can expect to see a new 13-inch MacBook (whether it’s a MacBook Air model or not remains to be seen). Unfortunately, Kuo adds that Apple will not be selling revamped iMacs in 2016, though Tim Cook and co. could theoretically introduce one next week even though availability, per Kuo, won’t begin until the middle of next year. The odds of that happening, though, are likely pretty low as Apple likely doesn’t want to artificially deflate current iMac sales in the interim.
