Apple is preparing to overhaul its MacBook Pro line of laptops, according to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The 13- and 15-inch laptops will be thinner and lighter, with a keyboard inspired by that of the new MacBook and new metal injection moulded hinges.
More interestingly, the new MacBook Pro will also have an ‘OLED display touch bar’, in place of the usual function keys at the top of the keyboard. This bar could show app-specific key layouts, music controls and more. If Apple allow users to create their own layouts, this could be a great addition.
The laptops will also use USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, allowing for multiple displays, power and data to be sent over a single port. The single USB-C port of the MacBook Air isn’t going to fly well with professionals, so we can expect at least two ports here.
Touch ID fingerprint sensors are also set to be included, although their location has yet to be confirmed. Apple was previously rumoured to be looking into unlocking Macs using the Touch ID sensor on an iPhone, but it would make sense to include the hardware on the Mac directly as well.
The new MacBook Pros will run OS X (or is it MacOS?) 10.12, which should be announced at WWDC on June 13th.
Kuo calls these changes ‘the most significant update ever undertaken by Apple’, and says that they’ll be released in the fourth quarter of this year. An upgraded 13-inch MacBook should also be revealed at the same event, solidifying Apple’s laptop lineups with a high-end model (MacBook Pro), mid-range model (MacBook) and entry-level model (MacBook Air).
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