The MacBook Pro 2016 may be removing the 3.5 mm jack as well, similar to the rumored plans for the iPhone 7. (Photo : Getty Images/Justin Sullivan/)
As Apple gears up to launch the much-rumored iPhone 7 on Sept. 7, rumors have surfaced that the Cupertino-based tech giant will also unveil the MacBook Pro 2016. The MacBook Pro is long overdue and this could be just the right time to expect some information.
Although the Retina MacBook has made the MacBook Air virtually superfluous, the MacBook Pro is still the only laptop from apple to do serious work. However, the body is a bit thick, battery life is wanting, and there is no distinct graphics in the 13-inch model. As a result, the device is not an option for photographers or programmers, exactly the type of core demographics that the company spent so long enticing last decade.
Reports are rife that customers will be receiving a new MacBook Pro this fall, and therefore, there is likelihood it will be alongside iPhone 7 at the special event, according to BGR. A feature that has been consistently leaked is the existence of an OLED touch screen running along the top of the keyboard, believed to replace the Fn keys. Furthermore, the Command Bar will change based on the app users open, providing keys for copy/paste while in a document, or switching to certain commands when users open Photoshop.
There is also the addition of a Touch ID sensor, giving room for at least one USB-C port and allowing for a thinner body. If the manufacturer goes ahead to display a lightened MacBook Pro, it will possibly be the end of the MacBook Air that will be trapped in purgatory between that and the Retina MacBook.
A Thunderbolt Display is old enough and it will not possibly need an update. Rumors about an updated Thunderbolt Display with a distinct graphics card have never materialized. In 2013, Chris Davies from Slashgear envisioned a new Thunderbolt display with some kind of GPU incorporated inside.
The idea of having a new Thunderbolt Display has been getting even better and time is ripe. The 12-inch MacBook is a fantastic computer, although woefully underpowered for any form of graphics-intensive app. It would sound great to plug a small laptop into a 27-inch 5K display when doing some deskwork, but it is not possible for the onboard Core M graphics to handle that.
For the upcoming MacBook Pro 2016, Nvidia's latest graphics cards are relatively cheap and efficient enough. They can fit inside a display without requiring some special cooling system or extreme power supply.
Here is a sneak peek for more information on the imminent MacBook Pro 2016:
