Rumors suggest that the new MacBook Pro 2016 could feature an OLED mini screen and a Touch ID sensor.
According to Tech Crunch, in the coming months, Apple is planning to update the MacBook Pro with a retina display. And according to 9to5mac and the well-informed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities, the scheduled update seems to be much more than an enhancement in specifications.
Apple will keep two screen sizes for the MacBook Pro line, with a 13-inch model and a 15-inch model that will be somewhat more powerful. However, these laptop models will come in a lighter and thinner design, closer to the MacBook Air.
Up to date, the MacBook Pro's thickness has been constrained by the ports. The retina MacBook Pro is roughly as thick as an HDMI port, a Thunderbolt port or a USB port. All these three types of ports come more or less with the same thickness.
In order to come with a thinner design, Apple came out with the solution of implementing the new USB-C port. This thinner USB standard is already used by Apple in the 12-inch MacBook with a retina display.
The USB ports are probably going to become USB-C ports in the MacBook Pro line. The Thunderbolt port can also become compatible with USB-C ports and the HDMI port could be replaced with a Mini-HDMI port.
Rumors suggest that Apple is also thinking about adding a Touch ID sensor on the MacBook Pro, so users would not have to type their passwords again. This could also open the possibility to use Apple Pay for online purchases.
The biggest change, according to Mashable, could be above the keyboard, where the function keys will be replaced by an OLED display touch bar. This last addition might be the most surprising design update on the new MacBook Pro.
The same report suggests that Apple could add the mini OLED touchscreen, thanks to a smaller metal-injection hinge. Details on the bar's functionality and size are not known yet, but a touch-sensitive second screen beneath the main one could have many uses. This narrow touchscreen could change depending on the application used and could feature various shortcuts.
