- An analyst with a reliable track record reporting on unreleased Apple products detailed the kind of ports coming to the 2021 MacBook Pro models.
- Ming-Chi Kuo says that the two new MacBook Pro models that Apple will release in the second half of the year will have a new design that will include an HDMI port and an SD card reader.
- Last month, the same insider said that Apple would launch 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros this year, featuring a brand new design, MagSafe support, and Apple M-series processors.
A couple of distinct reports said about a month ago that Apple’s 2021 MacBooks would get a significant redesign that will “fix” some of the features that some users have been complaining about in recent years. The Touch Bar screen that replaced the function keys at the top of the keyboard is one example. But the most problematic design change that MacBook made with the current MacBook design is the lack of ports. The universal USB-C port is an excellent solution for data transfer and power, and many products have adopted it. But dongles are still required to ensure the MacBook Air and Pro can operate with certain accessories. Finally, there’s the removal of the MagSafe charging port, an iconic MacBook feature that went away in the latest MacBook redesign.
Ming-Chi Kuo penned a new research note that doubles down on the 2021 MacBook Pro redesign. And this time around, he listed the ports the new Pros are going to get.
Kuo listed in mid-January the various changes coming to the 2021 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models:
1. The two new models are equipped with about 14-inch and 16-inch displays, respectively.
2. In terms of casing design, the new models cancel the curvy design of existing models’ top and bottom parts and adopt a flat-edged form factor design similar to the iPhone 12.
3. The MagSafe charging connector design is restored.
4. The OLED touch bar is removed, and the physical function buttons are restored.
5. There is no Intel CPU option for the new models.
6. They are equipped with more types of I/O, and most users may not need to purchase additional dongles.
While the analyst said in January the laptops would get more ports, he did not elaborate on what they would be. Around the same time, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also reported that the 2021 MacBook Pro versions would be redesigned. He mentioned the MagSafe return, and he said that multiple USB-C ports would be included without referring to other types of ports.
Kuo’s new note, as seen by MacRumors, sheds more light on the type of additional ports planned for the 2021 MacBook Pros.
“We predict that Apple’s two new MacBook Pro models in 2H21 will have several significant design and specification changes,” Kuo said. “Some of the practical changes for users are equipping with the SD card reader and HDMI port.”
He also added that Taiwan’s Genesys Logic will be the exclusive supplier of SD card reader parts for the 2021 MacBook Pro.
As with previous leaks, Kuo did not indicate a specific release date for the new MacBook Pro models.
