Apple look likely to update the MacBook Pro lineup before the end of the 2016, complete with a new OLED display strip above the keyboard and support for the fingerprint-sensing Touch ID.
The news comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo – a man with a good track record as far as rumor mongers go – and 9to5Mac say they have checked the story with their sources. Looks like a pretty solid lead.
Apparently the OLED screen will be a thin strip above the keyboard, separated from the main display. It’s set to replace the existing function keys found on the top row of the keyboard and will be touch sensitive, perhaps opening the door for a dynamic, customizable set of digital buttons. Apple is also looking to incorporate Touch ID, most likely directly into the touchpad. The computers will also feature USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports, perhaps at the expense of some existing ports.
Finally, we can expect the new MacBooks to be “thinner and lighter” than ever before, thanks to some fancy new hinges. No surprises there – Apple is notorious for trimming the fat from its products. However, in an increasingly confusing lineup of products, the regular MacBook and MacBook Air already offer extreme portability as key selling points. Many users of the MacBook Pro would prioritize power over lightness, so let’s hope there’s no compromises made on that front just to shave a few millimeters off the chassis.
Kuo suspects the new MacBook Pros will be announced some time in the fourth quarter of 2016, after the expected launch of OS X 10.12 in October.