MacBook Pro 2016 will sport an OLED touch bar. (Photo : YouTube/Cult of Mac)
Apple skipped on the rumored MacBook Pro 2016 intro at the June WWDC keynote and revealed instead the new Mac OS X operating system that was renamed macOS Sierra. But thanks to the new software's beta version the MacBook Pro 2016 on release date is nearly confirmed to boast of OLED touch panel and Touch ID unlocking feature.
Rumors indicate that the new MBPs will unbox with a programmable OLED touch bar that will replace the physical function keys. The 2016 WWDC did not touch on the subject but according to 9to5Mac, "there are a variety of new resources that suggest support for the rumored OLED touch bar."
One example is the "kHIDUsage_LED_DoNotDisturb" reference on macOS, which the report said hints of a Mac feature that will see a dedicated LED Do Not Disturb function key. A Night Mode feature similar to the one introduced with the iOS 9.3-powered iPhones is also likely in the works as supported by the "kHIDUsage_LED_NightMod" resource.
The same OLED touch panel is also seen configurable for media playback control as the macOS reference "kHIDUsage_LED" points to the following control keys: fast forward, rewind, play, pause and rewind. The same code also includes a power button and as noted by 9to5Mac, the batch of control buttons are currently found in the physical Mac function keys, which are rumored to be bumped off by the planned OLED touch panel.
Also detected are macOS Sierra references that drop hints of upcoming biometric features for the Mac desktops and laptops. To date, these codes are the most solid proofs that Touch ID unlocking via an iPhone or Apple Watch will be among the key feature upgrades that Apple will unpack soon with the MacBook Pro 2016.
9to5Mac said that the features mentioned above only underscored the likelihood of a MacBook Pro 2016 release date that will happen real soon. A recent MacOtakara blog report claimed that the touchdown could be set August with the MacBook Air in tow sporting minor specs upgrade. But analyst Ming-chi Kuo is convinced that the earliest MacBook Pro commercial debut is around October 2016.
Meanwhile, the video concept below showcases what could prove as the MacBook Pro 2016 final cut:
