Apple have been surrounded by some strange rumors lately, and there is speculation that the company might be looking into reducing the number of devices they have on the market. The reason, according to the rumors, is that they want to move efficiently focus on a smaller set of products, and some of their fans seem to agree.
First the rumors targeted the iPod, but after it became clear that Apple have no plans to kill off that line (at least for now), now we’ve been seeing similar statements about the MacBook and iPad. More specifically, the claim is that Apple might want to combine the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air into one device, as they’ve been both inching towards each other in various ways.
It’s true that the MacBook Air has been getting more powerful and capable, while on the other hand the Pro is seemingly slimmer and more compact with each release, so there might be some sense in those statements.
Current rumors about the MacBook Pro 2016 claim that the new notebook is going to arrive with an even lighter and slimmer form factor, putting it even closer to its Air counterpart. And with that, the rumors claim, the MacBook Air might actually not see any further releases.
The MacBook Air was a controversial release in the first place, with some fans questioning the use of the device. Things became even worse for the line after tablets took over the market and became truly prevalent, and now it looks like the laptop really might be on its way out.
As for the MacBook Pro 2016, there are some conflicting claims about the release date of the device. Apple are rumored to be preparing for a major announcement in just a matter of weeks, and if the rumors turn out to be true, this should be a huge surprise for their fans.
It’s not very typical of Apple to release their major products in this way, but on the other hand they’ve also changed their style significantly in the last few years, so it’s hard to say what they might be planning.
Still, most of the company’s fans are a bit skeptical that the new notebook will arrive this year, and the general consensus in Apple’s community is that the model should be ready in the beginning of 2017, if it’s actually in active development right now.
We’re mostly inclined to agree with that, but on the other hand, it also wouldn’t surprise us if Apple really did decide to drop a surprise release by the end of this year. At least an announcement would be a nice way to stir things up, and it should generate sufficient excitement about the device to last until the early months of next year.
Some of the more interesting rumors about the new model claim that it could have an extra screen with touch capabilities, as well as some additional productivity features.
Apple are also reportedly moving on to USB Type-C in full force, which would definitely be nice to see in the new MacBook Pro. Combined with the allegedly slim design of the laptop, it should be a great machine for work on the go, as well as of course entertainment whenever the user wants it.