Apple’s new MacBook Pro models, which are expected to be launched in the fall, will include a Touch ID power button and OLED touch-sensitive function keys (as reported previously), reports 9to5 Mac, citing a reliable source. The KGI note which was the first to report the OLED function key display also hinted at Touch ID support for the new MacBook Pros, but it did not share any specifics.
Will Apple give a Touch ID power button?
Putting Touch ID in the power button appears to be a logical move, as it means “allowing the same one-touch process to power-on and authenticate as is possible with the Home button on current iPhones,” the report says. Also resources seen in MacOS Sierra suggested that future Macs will have Touch ID.
Previous reports suggested that Apple’s new MacBook Pro models will launch in the fourth quarter. It was reported that the two MacBook Pro models will be presented in the premium price rage, while the MacBook Air will be the entry-level machine and the new 13-inch MacBook a mid-tier device.
Apple’s new MacBook Pros are expected to feature USB-C and built-in support for Thunderbolt 3. According to the supposed chassis shots, with MagSafe gone, there will be room for four USB-C ports. The new 2016 MacBook Pro is expected to command similar – if not identical – prices as current models.
MacBook Pro upgrade is long overdue
MacBook fans have been left disappointed a couple of times recently: first, in the spring when Apple updated its remaining laptop range and second, at WWDC 2016. However, this reinforces the fact that an update is long overdue. The longer wait for the new Pro suggests it will be a major refresh than what the MacBook Air and MacBook got in March. Currently, the MacBook Pro is available in two sizes: a 13-inch model (last updated in March 2015), and a 15-inch model (last updated in May 2015).
According to a quarterly report from IDC, Apple witnessed a sharp drop in shipments of Macs, probably because users are awaiting the Pro update. In the second quarter, the company shipped 4.4 million PCs worldwide, versus 4.8 million in Q2 2015 – a decline of 8.3%. It must be noted that the drop was not because of the macro environment. Other brands within the top five by U.S. and worldwide PC shipments reported better year-on-year comparisons, with HP, Dell, Lenovo and Acer all reporting double-digit growth in U.S. shipments.
Thus, Apple will have to update its line-up, especially the MacBook Pro, to check this decline. It also makes sense as the laptop is three years old, and in Apple’s Mac lineup, it is the only one with a non-Retina screen. The iPhone maker appears to be phasing out the non-Retina MacBook Pro as it does not mention it on the main product page and has placed it at the bottom of its MacBook Pro store page online.
