Whenever a rumor reaches a fever pitch in the Apple community, it’s almost certain that something big, new, or redesigned is about to reveal itself in Cupertino and take the world by storm. The latest product to be the subject of these rumors is the Apple MacBook Pro line, which was last updated in April 2010.
The most consistent buzz revolves around Intel’s new “Sandy Bridge” processor, a multi-core processor that improves on speed and performance over its predecessors. Apple is known to be quite constant in updating its machines to the latest Intel technology as quickly as possible, so one would hope that this part of the rumor is true. While Intel delayed the delivery of these processors due to some hardware issues, it is believed that it would only delay the new MacBook Pro models by a week or two at most. This would still give Apple plenty of time to update its MacBook and MacBook Pro lines in March.
Other rumors have gotten a bit more daring and adventurous. For example, some are hoping for an entirely new MacBook Pro design, perhaps one that swaps out the traditional aluminum case for one made of carbon fiber. These rumors point to carbon fiber being lighter, more durable, and would be in line with Apple’s trend-setting designs from past iterations.
Short of a redesign or case change, other rumors point to the exclusion of an optical drive in newer MacBook Pro models; At a minimum, many people expect it to be an optional feature. This would help make the new MacBook Pro line the thinnest professional-grade laptop Apple has ever sold, perhaps transforming the line into a MacBook Air for creative professionals: all the thinness without compromising valuable screen real estate. Like the MacBook Air, many Apple insiders expect a transition to solid-state hard drives in all MacBook Pro models, a change that would speed up boot times and significantly increase durability.
And the MacBook Air itself isn’t left out of rumors of a major update to the MacBook line. Apple watchers expect the 11-inch and 13-inch models to also be upgraded with Intel’s Sandy Bridge processor, making them an attractive option for consumers and professionals alike. Observers are also wondering whether or not Apple might introduce a larger 15-inch model to cater to those who like more screen real estate on top of the slimmest form factor on the market.
In general, the rumors surrounding Apple MacBook models are numerous and sometimes contradictory. Will we see a 15-inch MacBook Air? Or will Apple introduce a 15-inch MacBook Pro model without an optical drive, making it slim and desirable for professionals? Will the MacBooks look the same, or will they come packaged with an exciting new design? Only time will tell, and according to Apple watchers and insiders, Apple will reveal those answers next month.
