A report in May revealed that, according to well-connected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the upcoming new models of the MacBook Pro will feature Touch ID technology and an OLED display touch bar that will replace the physical function keys at the top of the laptop's keyboard.
A new report by 9to5Mac sheds more light into the claims by Kuo, confirming both facts and providing more detail on the upcoming MacBook Pro models.
According to a source who has previously provided reliable information to 9to5Mac, the new MacBook Pro models will be launched in the fall. In addition, the source confirms Kuo's claims that the laptops will be featuring Apple's Touch ID technology, but adds that the sensors will be located in the power button of the new MacBook Pro computers.
Kuo did not provide any more detail regarding Touch ID in the new MacBook Pro models, but the source's claims of the technology being incorporated in the power button makes sense as it mirrors the functionality of the feature on the current iPhones. For the iPhone, the Touch ID is located in the Home button, allowing users to wake the smartphone and authenticate access with one touch.
The source also confirmed the OLED display touch bar on the new MacBook Pro models, taking over the physical functions keys. The power button of the MacBook Pro is located on the same row as the "F" function keys, so replacing the physical buttons with a touch bar along with upgrading the power button into a Touch ID-compatible one also makes sense.
The OLED touchscreen buttons are also said to be customizable, which will bring functionality to a row of physical buttons that was often left unused. Customers may be able to assign shortcuts to the buttons on the OLED touch bar, which would provide more convenience and accessibility for the various apps on the MacBook Pro.
Kuo previously claimed that the new MacBook Pro, which will come in 13-inch and 15-inch varieties, will be released in the fourth quarter. It was suggested that the MacBook Air will be tagged as the entry-level computer, the new 13-inch MacBook will be the mid-tier laptop, and the two MacBook Pro models will be higher up in the range.
There have also been rumors that the new MacBook Pro models will replace the MacBook Air for good, especially after Apple took down the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro from shelves in June. With the MacBook Pro expected to hit the center stage upon its release, Apple could finally be ending the MacBook Air's run.
