New Apple Macbook Pro to debut in late 2016

The MacBook Pro is one of the Apples’s products next in line for an update after last receiving a refresh in May 2015. The MacBook Pro update is clearly imminent, considering Apple's market share in the computing space fell 13.4 percent in Q3 2016 compared to the prior year.

News of Apple preparing its supply chain for a new and thinner model of MacBook Pro first broke out with a report from analyst sources. This detailed Apple’s plans to include a small touchscreen strip in place of the usual top function key row on the device’s keyboard, and was later backed up by the discovery of resources found in macOS Sierra hinting at the new hardware and support for Touch ID. The new touchscreen display could provide contextually sensitive buttons to replace the old function keys and other new features like Touch ID and third-party app integration.

Images allegedly showing components of the upcoming MacBook Pro appeared to have space for the rumoured OLED touch bar, as well as four USB-C ports. Apple first made the switch to USB-C for the 12-inch MacBook in 2015, and reports so far indicate it will do the same with the new MacBook Pro later this year. Apple's adoption of USB Type-C on the MacBook has had its advantages and its disadvantages.

The users get a compact, reversible and speedy all-in-one port for power and data transfer purposes. This enables the 12-inch MacBook to be ridiculously slim. On the other hand, Apple's use of USB-C resulted in the loss of its brilliant MagSafe charger standard, which must have saved millions of pounds in damages over the years.

The most problematic factor is that there is only one USB-C port on the MacBook, necessitating an unwieldy web of adaptors should users wish to plug in several devices whilst charging. The photos, obtained by Cult of Mac, all but confirm 2016 MacBook Pro’s OLED touchpad.

Apple will announce the new MacBook Pro on Thursday. A new MacBook Air model is also expected in the announcement.