Skip to main content

A new MacBook Pro 13 with the scissor-switch Magic Keyboard is coming soon

When the MacBook Pro 16 launched in late 2019, one of its standout features was its scissor-switch Magic Keyboard. For now, it’s only available on that specific model, but a new report from DigiTimes (via 9to5Mac) suggests it could soon roll out to the MacBook Pro 13.

For years, Apple has persevered with the divisive and failure-prone butterfly keyboard. Each new year brought tweaks to the mechanism, but none were able to remedy its longstanding issues of uncomfortable key travel and questionable reliability. The Magic Keyboard managed to solve those problems in one fell swoop, making this an encouraging development for fans of the latest key mechanism.

While the report doesn’t nail down a particularly precise launch window, it suggests the updated MacBook Pro 13 could launch in the first half of 2020. When it comes to the first six months of a year, Apple traditionally launches MacBook Pro models in May (via press release) or June (at WWDC). We’d expect this latest update to come in one of those two time slots.

We’ve previously argued that, despite its many benefits (including the Magic Keyboard), most people shouldn’t buy the MacBook Pro 16. That’s because it’s Apple’s most expensive laptop, and paying over $2,000 just to get a better keyboard is a poor investment. But if Apple were to bring the Magic Keyboard — and other MacBook Pro 16 features — to its other laptops, that would make them far more accessible.

The report from DigiTimes complements an earlier report from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is known to have reliable sources inside Apple’s supply chain. Kuo argued in October 2019 that Apple would launch scissor switch-enabled MacBook models in either the second or third quarter of 2020. With the MacBook Pro 16 already out of the way, this could point to a MacBook Pro 13 or MacBook Air refresh (or both) coming later this year.

As well as that, Apple recently registered an upcoming MacBook with the Eurasian Economic Commission. This usually means a launch is imminent, further backing up the DigiTimes report. The filing listed a model number of A2289, which implies this may be a relative of the MacBook Pro 16 — the 16-inch device has a model number of A2141, and is the first recent MacBook Pro to have a model number beginning “A2,” suggesting the A2289 MacBook could well be a 13-inch variant of Apple’s latest laptop.

Only time will tell how accurate the DigiTimes report is, but against this backdrop of mounting evidence, it looks increasingly likely that a MacBook Pro 13 with a scissor-switch keyboard mechanism is on the way. That’ll make one of our favorite features of the MacBook Pro 16 much more accessible to Apple’s loyal Mac fans, and we can’t wait to try it out.

Editors' Recommendations

Alex Blake
In ancient times, people like Alex would have been shunned for their nerdy ways and strange opinions on cheese. Today, he…
Your next MacBook Air could be even faster than expected
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 laptop propped up at an angle on a desk.

Apple’s upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air could be launching sooner than expected, which is encouraging for anyone who has been waiting for this much-rumored device. But the good news doesn’t end there, as it could also get a sizeable chip upgrade that would leave rival devices in the dust.

For months, it had been suggested that Apple was working on a new 15-inch version of the MacBook Air that was going to be released at a spring event. However, now that Apple has announced it will host its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) -- but not a spring event -- it seems that the latter isn’t happening. That suggests the 15-inch MacBook Air will have to wait until WWDC before seeing the light of day.

Read more
Hoping for an OLED MacBook Pro? We’ve got some bad news
An Apple MacBook Pro 14 sits open on a table.

If you’ve been waiting for Apple to launch an OLED MacBook Pro, there’s some bad news: it might not come out for another three years. That’s a serious wait considering many of Apple’s rivals have already brought out some of the best OLED laptops on the market.

The news comes from display industry tipster Ross Young, who is well-known for having a solid track record when it comes to Apple leaks. Young tweeted a link to a Reuters article outlining Samsung’s plans for an OLED fabrication plant, adding the comment: “This fab is for 14” and 16” OLED MacBook Pros from 2026.”

Read more
Apple could be working on a secret OLED MacBook Air
The screen of the MacBook Air M2.

Apple could be planning a new MacBook Air equipped with an OLED display, according to Korean tech website TheElec. Interestingly, there are suggestions that the MacBook Air could get this high-end tech before Apple’s flagship MacBook Pro models.

Right now, none of Apple’s MacBook laptops come with OLED panels, and instead use Liquid Retina displays based on LCD technology. That could all change if TheElec’s claims are accurate, however.

Read more