On Thursday, famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a new report detailing the next generation of the MacBook Pro. Here’s everything you need to know.
Kuo says these new upcoming MacBook Pro models will feature 14-inch and 16-inch displays and be the most significant redesign in over five years. The new models will also be powered by Apple Silicon, replacing the Intel silicon Apple currently ships with the 16-inch model.
Surprisingly, Kuo says that the Touch Bar will be phased out with these new laptops in favor of physical function keys. Once heralded as “the future of the Mac,” the Touch Bar has received a considerable amount of criticism since being announced in 2016.
Kuo also detailed a new squared-off chassis design, similar to the iPad Pro and iPhone 12 lines. I hope this new design will favor a better cooling design, an issue that has plagued all MacBook Pro models since 2016.
While Kuo doesn’t specify how many or what ports, he suggests that upcoming MacBook Pro models will feature additional I/O ports, including the return of MagSafe. Ever since Apple removed the SD card reader in 2016, many creative professionals have begged Apple to bring it back, so Apple may finally be listening.
Kuo says the new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro will be released sometime during the third quarter of 2021. Apple may finally be listening to their customers, and we hope these new models will bring these models back to their glory days.
