SHANGHAI, CHINA – 01/12/2020: MacBook Pro in an Apple store in Shanghai. (Photo by Alex Tai / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)
Photographer: SOPA Images / LightRocket
Photographer: SOPA Images / LightRocket
Apple Inc. plans to upgrade MacBook Pro laptops this year with much faster processors, updated displays and the return of the magnetic charger, according to a person with knowledge of the plans.
The new laptops come in two screen sizes, a 14-inch model code-named J314 and a 16-inch version internally called J316. Both will use next-generation versions of Apple’s internal Mac processors, upgraded with more cores and improved graphics, said the person, asking not to be named because the products have not yet been announced.
These devices mark Apple’s first high-end laptops to move away from Intel Corp. components. The company updated its base 13-inch MacBook Pro with its own M1 chip in November to mostly positive reviews.
In addition to the more powerful chips, Apple also plans to bolster the screens in its new MacBook Pros with brighter, higher-contrast panels, the person said. The new Macs will look similar to the current versions, albeit with minor design changes. Apple aims to launch the new MacBook Pros around the middle of the year.
An Apple spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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A big change in the new computers is how they are charged. Over the past five years, Apple has relied on USB-C ports for both power and data transfer on its laptops, making them compatible with chargers from other manufacturers. But the company is now bringing back MagSafe, the magnetic power adapter that means that if the power cable is accidentally pulled, it will simply be disconnected from the laptop rather than pulling the entire computer down. It was a favorite feature of the company’s range of portable PCs that was first introduced in 2006 and last revived for the latest line of iPhones.
With the return of MagSafe with the following MacBook Pros, those laptops will also be able to charge faster, the person said. The connector will be similar to the elongated pill-shaped design of the older MagSafe port.
Despite moving away from USB-C for charging, Apple will still add multiple USB-C ports to its future Macs.
In developing the next line of Mac laptops, Apple has also tested versions that remove the Touch Bar from its laptop keyboards. Introduced as part of the latest MacBook Pro redesign in 2016, the Touch Bar turns the top row of the keyboard of function keys into a touchscreen strip that can display a variety of information and a changing set of controls to adapt to apps and tasks. Some professional users have said they found that control scheme less useful than physical keys.
Apple is also planning a new MacBook Air, but it is not expected to come until long after the next MacBook Pros.