Apple MacBook 2016 update: New 13-inch MacBook may replace MacBook Air

Apple has apparently planned to announce a completely revamped MacBook Pro this year, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a release note, KGI Securities analyst Kuo also revealed that along with the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro 2016 line-up, Apple will come up with an all new 13-inch MacBook with performance enhancements.

The new MacBook 2016 will be similar to that of the 12-inch Retina model and will replace the current generation of MacBook Air. The refreshed MacBook 2016 will become the mid-range option in Apple's notebook family.

As result the 11-inch model of MacBook Air will be positioned as the entry level notebook by Apple. Moreover, Kuo also predicted that the Cupertino-based tech giant will retain the MacBook Pro series as the high-end variant of the notebook line-up, as reported by 9to5Mac.

However, there are contradictory speculations that Apple might altogether kill the MacBook Air series and replace it with MacBook Pro 2016.

Related: Apple MacBook Pro 2016 may replace MacBook Air

In related news, the 2016 MacBook Pros will come packed with a thinner and lighter form factor inspired by 2015’s 12-inch MacBook .

Kuo’s report also explains that the 2016 MacBook Pros will feature a new OLED display touch bar above the keyboard with Touch ID support. This means the physical function keys will be dropped in favour of an OLED touch panel.

According to previous speculations, the improved MacBook Pro 2016 laptops will be powered by Intel’s latest Skylake processors along with a 256GB in-built storage option. The 2016 MacBook Pro models are expected to come in two screen sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch with 8GB and 16 of RAM respectively.

Apple MacBook Pro 2016 release date has not been confirmed by the company. It is speculated to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2016 scheduled from June 13 to June 17.

Last month, Kuo also predicted that in 2017, Apple will bring in a drastically redesigned iPhone lineup with an all-glass chassis. According to Kuo, the new glass-made iPhones will also feature an AMOLED panel.