Apple's set to hold its next press event this Oct. 27 at Cupertino, California.
Apple still hasn't hinted on what it might announce during the event, but the event's tagline, "Hello Again," might be alluding to Apple's "Hello" tagline back in 1984, when it unveiled the Macintosh.
As with every Apple event, there's the accompanying barrage of speculation, and chief among the anticipated unveils is a new MacBook Pro. Other Apple products have enjoyed their share of updates while the MacBook lineup has lagged in terms of Apple's attention. That's all about to change when Oct. 27 hits.
According to reports, Apple is set to unveil the most significant update to the MacBook Pro, with a huge refresh in its internals alongside cosmetic brushups. It's touted to be the centerpiece of the Mac-focused press event.
In true Apple fashion, no official word has hinted on what the new MacBook Pro might feature, but here's a laundry list of what we know so far, culled from the rumor mill and few reputable sources.
A Secondary Display Will Replace F Keys
The new MacBook are rumored to feature a horizontal strip where the F keys used to be. It's reported to be an OLED touchscreen "toolbar" that is fully customizable by the user. It can display control buttons for specific apps such as Spotify or a word processor, and it can also change into a download progress bar. It basically adapts to a user's preferred set of virtual hotkeys, or it can adapt to what software is currently running in order to give extended shortcuts. It might even be a "ticker" or a notification tray of sorts.
Extra Security With Touch ID
The new MacBook pro is rumored to come with the Touch ID feature primarily seen on Apple's iPhone models. It will sit under the laptop's power button, allowing for security features such as powering on the device with a unique fingerprint.
Skylake And AMD Polaris Architecture
Under the hood, the new MacBook Pro is not one to shy away from power. It's rumored that the laptop houses Intel's newest Skylake chips alongside a graphics processor taking advantage of AMD's Polaris architecture, a graphics chip specifically designed for improved performance and a no-frills virtual reality ecosystem.
Default OS Will Be macOS Sierra
No surprises here. It's only logical that Apple would release a refreshed MacBook Pro with its most recent operating system, hosting quite a number of notable features.
USB-C Will Replace Standard USB Ports
Apple's seems to have a predisposition to eliminate traditional ports these days, and that will reflect on its new MacBook Pro. It's rumored that the traditional USB ports will be pushed out by newer USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports. Also, if rumors are correct, prepare to say goodbye to Apple's MagSafe feature, a magnetic charging port mechanism that reduces the chances of the laptop being whisked away if someone accidentally trips over the power cord.
A Brief Look At Some Other Rumors
Apart from the major list of new features mentioned above, Apple is also rumored to release the new MacBook Pro in two variants: 13-inch and 15-inch. It will feature a much thinner design, a larger trackpad in the same stationary vein of the 12-inch model and Apple's butterfly keyboard design.
Keep in mind that these are all very speculative in nature. Expect due coverage when the Oct. 27 unveil hits.
