Overhauled 2016 MacBook Pro Unlikely to Debut Alongside iPhone 7, Rumor Suggests

Overhauled 2016 MacBook Pro Unlikely to Debut Alongside iPhone 7, Rumor Suggests
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We’ve known for a while now that Apple is hard at work developing a considerably reengineered MacBook Pro. And while many analysts and consumers, alike, have for long been anticipating a formal unveiling of the new laptop at the Cupertino-company’s ‘iPhone 7’ launch event this September, a new report that surfaced on Tuesday alleges that we probably shouldn’t hold our breath on that one.

Citing that the forthcoming machine has been in the “advanced stages of testing” for the “last several months,” one of multiple individuals familiar with Apple’s imminent product plans informed Bloomberg on Tuesday morning that the anticipated ‘iPhone 7’ unveiling event is likely a bit too soon for a formal launch.

Aside from providing a bit of insight into the plausibility of the machine touching down next month, the sources also reiterated a slew of rumors that we’ve already been hearing about for a while now.

Chiefly among them, the forthcoming MacBook Pro is slated to feature an all-new, touch-sensitive OLED panel in place of the traditional top row of function keys. This OLED ‘touch bar’ is said to offer users a vivid, colorful presentation of contextual, app specific touch controls for managing features. For instance, when listening to music in iTunes, the bar will display a bright set of volume and track controls; or, when composing or editing a document in Pages or Microsoft Word, the menu will display options for cut, paste, copy, etc.

Moreover, the OLED ‘touch bar’ commands are said to be changeable by Apple via a standard firmware update.

Additionally, one source commented that more expensive configurations of the machine will feature AMD’s new ‘Polaris’ GPU — primarily in light of the graphics processor’s super-thin, pint-sized stature, blazing-fast performance, and surprisingly efficient power consumption tendencies.

It was also all but confirmed that Apple will, in fact, be bringing a form of Touch ID functionality to the new MacBook Pro, presumably in an effort to boost security — although, contrary to previous rumors that the Touch ID sensor would be built into the machine’s power button, sources indicated it will instead be positioned right next to the OLED ‘touch bar’, itself.

In addition to these exciting new upgrades, Apple’s forthcoming MacBook Pro refresh is poised to be treated to a considerable upgrade in design, as well as an undisclosed number of USB-C ports. The machine will be thinner, first and foremost, while also featuring a somewhat lighter footprint with more aesthetically pleasing curved edges on the bottom that the current MacBook Pro. In terms of color options, the sources indicated that, while Apple is confirmed to have been contemplating a Gold and Space Gray MacBook Pro — a la the company’s 12-inch MacBook, its not clear if those colors will debut at launch, or if they’ll be released at a later time.

In either case, it likely won’t be too long until we find out the truth. Although the MacBook Pro, according to Bloomberg, is unlikely to be touching down in September, sources indicated that it’s very possible the device could be formally unveiled during the month of October — either shipping shortly thereafter, or, at the least, ahead of the advent of the 2016 holiday shopping season.

Are you planning to pick up one of Apple’s new MacBook Pros? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: Martin Hajek

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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