Following the MacBook updates from last month, Apple is now expected to release its new MacBook Pro 2016 at its upcoming WWDC event in June.
The last MacBook Pro laptops from Apple launched back in 2015, with the 13-inch model launching in March and the larger 15-inch version arriving in May. Judging by Apple's previous launch cycles, a 2016 MacBook Pro reveal should be just around the corner, and WWDC would serve as the perfect venue for the unveiling.
"MacBook is the thinnest and lightest Mac we have ever made and it's our vision for the future of the notebook," Phillip Schiller, Apple's SVP of Worldwide Marketing, said last month, upon introducing the refreshed MacBook models. "Customers are going to love this update to MacBook, with the latest processors, faster graphics, faster flash storage, longer battery life and a beautiful rose gold finish."
If those models brought notable improvements, the upcoming MacBook Pro 2016 is expected to be even more powerful and impressive. Best Buy's recent price cuts for the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2015 further suggest that the next generation will soon hit the scene.
Considering the prices of previous iterations, the new-generation MacBook Pro 2016 is expected to go on sale at roughly $1,300 or so for the base model, with the price going up depending on configuration.
When it comes to hardware, the new MacBook Pro 2016 is expected to rock Skylake under the hood, which would mark an upgrade from the previous Broadwell and Haswell processors powering existing models. The new chip should also boost the speed, enabling the 2016 MacBook Pro to reach higher performance standards.
Microsoft, HP, Dell and others have already been packing Skylake ships into their machines, so it would be about time for Apple to join the Skylake party and launch MacBook Pro models with some extra oomph.
Design-wise, the 2016 MacBook Pro is not expected to sport any major changes. In fact, MacWorld says it would not be surprised if nothing changes at all in terms of appearance, aside from a potential gold model. Of course, Retina displays are still the norm.
The publication also expects a significant graphics upgrade, as well as a Butterfly key switch mechanism like the one found on the 2015 MacBook's keyboard.
Aside from these upgrades, the 2016 MacBook Pro could also sport USB Type-C support, considering that the new standard is rapidly gaining momentum. This should also put the new OS X features in the spotlight, albeit Siri will reportedly be out of the picture.
It remains to be seen which of these predictions will turn out to be accurate, but we'll find out soon enough. Apple's WWDC 2016 will kick off on June 13, and we'll make sure to keep you up to date as soon as more news hit the surface.
