While there were hopes that Apple would announce new MacBook Pro models at WWDC, the keynote did not mention anything regarding it. According to the latest predictions, the device will now be released in the third quarter of 2021.
These predictions are based on claims from Apple suppliers stating that shipments for the new device will begin in the year’s third quarter, which runs from July to September. However, there isn’t absolute clarity over whether these shipments refer to the new MacBook Pros or separate components for the laptops.
Rumors suggested that WWDC would have featured more product announcements, possibly Apple’s new MacBook Pro models. However, after being a no-show at the conference, the device will now be delayed until the third quarter of 2021, according to various reports from media outlets such as DigiTimes and Nikkei Asia. A paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report reads:
“Apple is expected to roll out two new MacBook Pro models later in 2021, with shipments slated to kick off in the third quarter, according to industry sources.”
These supply chain reports regarding the delay in the mass production of Apple’s new MacBook Pro models mean the company gets sufficient time to announce their release before the year ends.
The new Apple MacBook Pro models are forecast to change quite a few things. They are expected to sport a brighter mini-LED display and an improved design featuring a more streamlined top and bottom. Moreover, they will bring back a few controls that were absent in the 2016’s Apple MacBook Pro models, including an HDMI port, SD card slot, and a magnetic charging port. Reports also suggest that physical Function keys will make a comeback replacing the Touch Bar.
Rumors suggest that Apple’s new MacBook Pro models’ redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch displays will be powered by the M1X chip, a faster iteration of the M1 chip. Renowned Apple YouTuber Max Balzer was among the first to notice “m1x MacBook Pro” as one of the tags listed by Apple on their WWDC keynote YouTube upload. Other tags included iOS 15, M1X, iOS, developers conference, and more.
After the release of the M1 silicon chip in November, theories point towards the M1X being Apple’s redesigned chip for their new MacBook Pro models. Apple could very well be confirming said theories by including the tag under its keynote. On the other hand, this could just be a tactic to bump up the video by utilizing the rumors around the chip.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.