Apple’s Next MacBook Pro Models to Feature Flat Edges Similar to iPhone 12 and No OLED Touch Bar: Kuo

Apple’s next MacBook Pro models will reportedly feature significant design changes. According to MacRumours citing notable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the next 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro notebooks will come a flat-edged design, similar to the iPhone 12 and iPad Mini (2020) and most notably, without the OLED touch bar. Additionally, all of the new MacBook Pro models will feature an Apple silicon chip (Apple M1 or an upgraded M1X), and there will be no Intel chip options included. Additionally, the next iPhone models (rumoured to be called iPhone 13) are said to come with vapour chamber cooling.

Kuo, in his report to investors further notes that the next Apple MacBook (14-inch and 16-inch) would also come with extra ports that might cheer up several new customers. Apple will reportedly bring back the MagSafe charging connector that it originally used to replace USB Type-C charging. As mentioned, OLED Touch Bar is also going way, and the company is said to add physical function keys instead, according to the analyst. The refreshed 16-inch MacBook Pro is may feature the same heat pipe design that is present in the current Intel-powered model. To recall, the new M1-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro uses active fan cooling for heavy processing tasks, while the Air 13 is fan-less yet can achieve impressive single and multi-core performance scores.

Kuo further states that we can expect to see the new MacBook Pro models released in the third quarter of 2021. Due to the revamped design and strong replacement demand, he expects total MacBook shipments to grow significantly by 25 to 30 percent year over year to 20 million units. Speaking over next iPhone models, the new vapour chamber thermal system will allow the phone to perform more aggressive 5G and AI tasks. OEMs like Samsung and LG use vapour chamber cooling technology, which is used to keep a device cooler when it is under heavy stress.