Latest MacBook rumor confirms new Pro model for October, but 11-inch Air is out

By Brad Jones October 18, 2016

macbook pro oled strip name trademark — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s long been rumored that Apple will refresh its MacBook Pro line this year — but with only two and a half months of 2016 remaining, nothing has materialized. However, new rumors suggest that the company is indeed prepping new laptops, and the reveal is set to come over the next couple of weeks.

A “reliable Chinese supplier” has claimed that Apple still expects to announce its new MacBook Pro systems this month, according to a report from 9to5Mac. What’s more, retailers will start to receive their hardware before the end of October, if the unnamed source is to be believed.

As previously rumored, the new MacBook Pro will refine its array of ports, with no MagSafe for charging, no traditional USB ports, and no Thunderbolt 2 connection. Instead, the new MacBook Pro will only feature support for connections made via USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3.

This is part of the larger overhaul of the MacBook Pro that has been rumored for several months. The system is also expected to be made noticeably thinner, and will receive a touch-enabled OLED strip above the keyboard that will serve as a context-sensitive set of function keys.

While these rumors specifically confirm that an announcement will come before the end of October, no specific date is given. Given the scope of the changes to the MacBook Pro line, it’s likely that Apple would make the reveal at a well-publicized press event — but nothing has been announced at this time.

Whenever Apple reveals the new MacBook Pro, it’s expected that another one of the company’s laptops will be quietly retired. The 11-inch MacBook Air will reportedly be discontinued as a result of its proximity to the newer 12-inch MacBook, although the 13-inch MacBook Air will apparently survive.

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Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

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