The MacBook Pro is about to get major upgrades, after 4 years. It will be thinner in size, have more powerful possessors, new Polaris graphics chips by AMD, multi-purpose USB-C ports, larger trackpad, OLED touchscreen strip above the keyboard and much more.
As reported by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who is one of the most reliable track records in the industry, the upcoming MacBook Pro will be designed as a thinner machine with a smaller footprint than the current models. It will also have shallower curves around the edges.
The new MacBook Pro’s keyboard will get a thin, light and sharp touchscreen strip, powered by OLED. The intelligent touch screen strip will be located above the keyboard and will display function keys and other shortcuts. Its primary purpose is to display function keys as per the user’s current task or application. For example, when iTunes is open, the screen could display media playback controls. The concept behind the strip would be to add new function keys or shortcuts software updates but it is unclear whether it would be open to third-party developers.
In terms of processing power, the new MacBook Pro will have faster Intel processors, likely 6th generation Skylake or 7th generation Kabylake processors. In terms of graphics, there is good news for users who have been fed up of most MacBooks using Intel’s weak GPUs. AMD’s Polaris graphics cards will be used to power the MacBook Pro display and should be powerful enough gaming and graphics intensive usage.
Connectivity will include USB-C for charging, display and accessories, similar to 12-inch MacBooks, although we hope that Apple does not include only one port on the MacBook Pro.Apple will also provide Touch ID fingerprint technology in the new MacBook Pro (similar to current iPhone 6 and later) for faster and easier log in Apple Pay. To ensure users security and privacy, finger prints will be encrypted.
Apple will also provide a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the new MacBook Pro (similar to the ones found on iPhones) for faster and easier authentication. The fingerprints will be encrypted in a way similar to iOS devices.
The new MacBook Pro will ship with macOS Sierra, scheduled to release in fall for current iMacs and MacBooks. It is also expected that Apple will ship the new MacBook Pros in different colors: space gray, silver, and gold, just like 12-inch MacBooks.
The launch date is not confirmed yet but it is sure that Apple will not announce them at their iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 event on September 7th, next month. However, expect them to be announced this year and ship before the holiday season for maximum sales.
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