According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple may be releasing a new MacBook Pro with a display of between 16 inches and 16.5 inches. And it may feature an all-new design.
These details were revealed in a research note leaked to MacRumors. But the research note did not specify what the new design features would include. If the rumors are true, then this would be the largest laptop that Apple will be offering.
Currently, Apple sells a 12-inch MacBook, 13.3-inch MacBook Airs, and 13.3-inch and 15.4-inch MacBook Pros. A 17” MacBook Pro was released about eight years ago, but it got discontinued in June 2012.
Photo a 13-inch and a 15-inch MacBook Pro sitting side-by-side / Credit: Apple
The reason why the 17-inch MacBook Pro phased out was likely due to the lack of demand. Consumers prefer laptops to be lightweight, but still pack powerful hardware. Plus I can barely get my 15-inch MacBook Pro open on a plane especially if the person in front of me reclines their seat. I could not imagine what taking a 16-inch or a 17-inch laptop on a plane would be like unless you are riding in upgraded seats.
Many analysts were expecting the Apple MacBook Pro family of devices to be refreshed in 2020 rather than 2019 so I would still take the report with a grain of salt. The last time that the MacBook Pro was redesigned was about two-and-a-half years ago.
There were a few other rumors included in the report. For example, another Apple laptop that is expected to be released this year is a 13-inch MacBook Pro with 32GB of RAM.
And Apple is reportedly going to be releasing a 31.6-inch 6K display with a “Mini LED-like backlight design.” Apple discontinued selling monitors with the Thunderbolt Display in 2016.
