New MacBook Pro Lineup Rumored Ditch Standard USB Ports

New MacBook Pro Lineup Rumored Ditch Standard USB Ports
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Although the release of the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and Apple Watch Series 2 is behind us, Apple isn’t quite done with hardware releases for 2016 just yet. Rumors of a new MacBook Pro line, supposedly featuring Touch ID built into the power button as well as a touch-sensitive OLED bar in the place of the traditional function keys, have been circulating around the web for months. The new lineup is expected to release later this month, with a recent tweet by former CEO of popular tech site The Next Web, Zee M Kane, claiming that a sleeve manufacturer for MacBooks leaked the release date of the new line to him – on October 27th to be exact. A recent report by Japan-based site Mac Otakara seems to corroborate a late October release date for the new MacBook Pros, also reiterating several of the features expected on the new line.

According to the report, Apple is looking to both announce and begin shipping the new line by the end of this month. Citing “information from a reliable Chinese supplier”, the report claims that Apple will likely release a 13-inch and a 15-inch model. Adding credence to past rumors, Mac Otakara also claims that the new line will ditch traditional USB (often called USB-A) ports, as well as Thunderbolt 2 ports and the popular MagSafe 2 connector. The new line will instead support the double-sided USB-C, capable of delivering power, data, and multimedia content at incredible speeds, as well as support for Thunderbolt 3. There has been no word yet as to how many of each ports the new MacBook Pros will feature.

The article also claims that Apple will be discontinuing the 11-inch MacBook Air, instead focusing on the 13-inch model. The article makes no claims concerning when Apple will look to refresh that particular device.

The article also makes no mention of the two most talked-about features that are rumored in the next generation MacBook Pro line – Touch ID support and the OLED touch bar, the former of which is rumored to replace the standard function keys above the keyboard, and will contain notifications, shortcuts, and customizable and context-sensitive touch keys that will change depending on the current app the user has open. If all of the rumors hold true, the release of the next MacBook Pro may be Apple’s most impressive release this year – hopefully we won’t have to wait any later than October 27th.

[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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