An Apple MacBook Pro laptop computer with Retina display stands on a table at a Gravis Apple retailer on Nov. 6, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo : Getty Images/Sean Gallup)
If latest reports circulating online are to come true, the Apple MacBook Pro 2016 is expected to be launched soon. Several Apple authorized resellers are offering the 15-inch MacBook Pro at discounted price suggesting that the launch of its successor imminent.
Meanwhile, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has published a report saying that Apple intends to introduce fully revamped 13-inch and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pros sometime during the fourth quarter of 2016. According to Kuo, the new MacBook Pros are likely to be thinner as well as lighter, MacRumors reported.
In addition, the two devices are expected to feature an OLED display touch bar, which would replace the physical function keys. Apple may also incorporate a dedicated Touch ID button, as well as support for USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. There are rumors suggesting that the OLED touch panel may be contextual, having buttons that change depending on the app that is in use.
Recently, Apple has unveiled the Apple Pay for the Web, which enables the payment system to work on Macs employing the Touch ID sensor of an iPhone or Apple Watch for authentication. With the new MacBook Pro incorporating this feature, Apple laptop users can now use Apple Pay without an iPhone following the launch of macOS this fall, 9to5Mac reported.
There are rumors that the upcoming MacBook Pro will switch to USB-C, something that the Cupertino tech giant first did with the 12-inch MacBook. The move to change to USB-C was first spotted by supply chain analysts at KGI Securities. Soon after, a leaked photo showed a unibody cutout for the purported device with space for up to four USB-C ports.
While it is still not certain whether Apple will include an additional I/O or opt for USB-C, the additional ports may help to ease some of the complaints experienced by Apple with the solitary USB-C port on the 12-inch MacBook. However, accessory support for USB-C is an entirely different question.
Meanwhile, Apple fans are expecting to see the normal upgraded internals counting improved specs for processors, graphics, storage, etc. It is likely that Apple will offer the new Pro line with silver, space gray, and rose/gold color options as in the case of the 12-inch MacBook.
Watch the 10 features Apple fans can expect in MacBook Pro 2016 below:
