New Apple MacBook Pros Coming Soon?
Many of us have been withholding purchasing a new Mac for this exact reason, and it shows on Gartner's latest numbers with Apple's computer sales down 14% in the latest quarter compared to Q3 2015.
Unfortunately for us consumers, Apple keeps us in the dark about their upcoming product cycles, and we have to look to chip suppliers like Intel and other vendors for clues about new product releases. This upcoming model is widely known to be a complete design refresh with Apple adopting a slimmer tapered profile and dropping more of the port connections in the process. Similar to the MacBook Retina, expect USB-C ports for charging (no more MagSafe) and connectivity for peripherals. USB-C is fast becoming an industry standard, and of course, Apple is a first-mover. I do expect Apple to keep the Thunderbolt 3 port for faster transfer rates and easy monitor connectivity.
One of the more revolutionary features of the new machine that may be worth the upgrade will be the dynamic touch bar dubbed the "dynamic function row" or "magic toolbar." This OLED touch panel strip will replace the top row of function keys and allow for endless key possibilities depending on the on screen apps. Touch ID will arrive on or next to the OLED strip as part of the power button, allowing for more secure use of the Mac and dropping the need for a password when waking or booting the Mac.
If performance and your time are valuable, the new MacBook Pro should deliver substantial speed improvements with the Core i7 Skylake processors to ensure you never see a “beach ball” cursor again. The current 15" MacBook Pro is using a processor that is two generations old, so this performance upgrade will likely trump the average upgrade cycle for Apple. On top of speed, Apple knows they need to beef up their graphic performance, which they plan to do with the rumored AMD Polaris 11 graphics card. I've heard many PC gamers claim Apple is a laggard when it comes to graphics and gaming performance, so hoping Apple closes the gap with their latest release.
Price point on the new release is uncertain, but I expect Apple to raise the price by $100-200 over the current model. These new machines are gorgeous, yet very expensive for the average consumer. In order to help offset the costs of buying new, I recommend selling your current machine to a trusted trade in website such as SellYourMac.com (SYM). SYM puts their customers first with real honest people responding to your price quote, and a secure data wipe the moment your machine arrives. SYM's motto is SYMply Hassle-Free, removing the hassle and time lost for the consumer selling the device on their own. Submit your info today for a fair and quick quote and receive an instant $15 bonus here: www.sellyourmac.com/brian.
Can't wait for the latest and greatest Apple MacBook Pro!! Hope to see you on October 27 ;).
