It was in February when we first heard rumors about a bigger version of Apple MacBook Pro. Reliable tipster and TFI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first predicted that consumers could expect a new high-end laptop with a bigger display somewhere in 2019. Although the name 16-inch MacBook Pro sounded awkward, many still believe Kuo's report because he is credible.
While Apple has been aggressively releasing new iPhones every year, the company has not really made any major shake-up on its premium laptop product since 2016. We have seen minor upgrades and refreshes, but nothing really groundbreaking so far. If the rumors are true, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is going to be the biggest laptop in Apple's lineup.
At present, Apple is selling two MacBook Pro variants, the 13-inch and the 15-inch models aside from the 12-inch MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Air. Ming-Chi Kuo initially reported that the 16-inch MacBook Pro might arrive within this year. In May, there were several reports claiming that the project was delayed and will be pushed for 2020 or 2021.
But, it appears that the report was incorrect because of inaccurate translation of Kuo's report. In August, a fresh set of rumors surfaced, suggesting that not only is the 16-inch MacBook Pro is arriving, but it is also coming sooner than anticipated. The latest detail about the arrival of the rumored MacBook Pro is that it might arrive next week.
If this is accurate, we might hear about the 16-inch MacBook Pro in a press release since we did not hear any Apple event happening next month. What are the features expected on the upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro? Based on earlier speculations, it will remove the controversial butterfly keyboard and replace it with a new scissor keyboard, which is also rumored to arrive on the MacBook Air by the end of 2019.
Another expected feature about the 16-inch MacBook Pro is that it will run on Intel's Coffee Lake H Refresh processor. We already heard speculations that Apple is moving from Intel into custom ARM-based processors. If the rumors are true, then it appears that the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be the last Apple computer to feature Intel processors.
Moving to ARM is Apple's strategic move to help developers create a single version of their apps that will work across various operating systems of the company, such as the iPhone, Mac, and iPad. The new processor replacement could happen as soon as next year, according to Bloomberg.
