SHANGHAI, CHINA – 1/1-2020: MacBook Pro in Apple retail store in Shanghai. (Photo by Alex Tai / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)
Photographer: SOPA / LightRocket Images
Photographer: SOPA / LightRocket Images
Apple Inc. designing updated MacBook Pro laptops this year with much faster processors, updated displays and the return of its magnetic charger, according to someone familiar with the plans.
The new laptops are expected to come in two screen sizes, a 14-inch model with J314 code and a 16-inch version with J316 interior. Both will use versions of the next generation of Apple’s internal Mac processors, updated by more fixes and improved graphics, the person said, wanting not to be named as the results have not yet been announced.
These devices mark Apple’s first high-end laptops to move away from Intel Corp. parts. The company updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro base with their own M1 chip in November, to positive reviews.
Beyond the more powerful chipsets, Apple also plans to step up the displays in its new MacBook Pros with brighter, taller panels, the man said. The new Macs will look similar to the standard versions, albeit with minor design changes. Apple aims to launch the new MacBook Pros around mid-year.
An Apple spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: Apple Preps Next Mac Chips Aimed at Top-End Outclass PCs
The new computers will change dramatically as they charge. Over the past five years, Apple has relied on USB-C ports for both power and data transfer on its laptops, making them compatible with other manufacturers. But the company is now reintroducing MagSafe, the magnetic power adapter that means any unintentional blockage of the power cable would simply separate it from the laptop rather than deactivate it. slow down the entire computer. Their favorite feature of the company’s portable PC line was that it was first introduced in 2006 and recently revived for the latest line of iPhones.
Returning MagSafe with the next MacBook Pros will allow these laptops to charge at a faster rate, the person said. The connector will resemble the long pill-shaped design of the old MagSafe port.
Despite moving away from USB-C for a fee, Apple will still be introducing several USB-C ports on its Macs in the future.
In developing the next set of Mac laptops, Apple has also tested versions that will remove the Touch Bar from its laptop keyboards. The Touch Bar, introduced as part of the last MacBook Pro redesign in 2016, will turn the top row of the keyboard from action keys to a touchscreen strip capable of multiple information and set change controls to switch to apps and tasks. Some professional users have reported that they found that control scheme was not as convenient as physical keys.
Apple is also planning a redesigned MacBook Air, but that’s not expected to be released until long after the next MacBook Pros.