Production of Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro has supposedly begun
The 16-inch version of the MacBook Pro has reportedly entered production, with the new model being constructed by Quanta right now, with the potential to be launched by the end of October or very early November.
Rendering of Apple's rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Rumored since early 2019, the 16-inch MacBook Pro would be a return to offering bigger notebooks for Apple, with it offering a larger screen than the 15-inch and 13-inch models currently offered by the company. Talk from the supply chain indicates it is on the way, with its launch happening shortly.
According to sources of DigiTimes, Taiwanese assembly partner Quanta Computer has commenced production and is shipping the 16-inch MacBook Pro at volume. The model will apparently be equipped with Intel's "Coffee Lake" or "Ice Lake" processors, and will feature an "ultra-thin bezel design" with a scissor keyboard mechanism.
It is unclear how accurate the report is, as DigiTimes has a mixed history when it comes to rumors. While the publication does well with supply chain shipments and timings, product feature pronouncements aren't its strongest suit.
In August, an IHS Markit analyst suggested production for the model would start in September, with a target volume of 39,000 units per month.
On Friday, references to a "MacBook Pro 16,1" and images were discovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1, which is usually a good indicator of a product's imminent arrival. The images show a slightly different bezel size for the model compared to the 15-inch model, along with changes in the space usage around the speakers.
Other rumor reports have also touched upon the use of Coffee Lake-H mobile processors and the scissor-switch mechanism, and a 96-Watt USB-C power adapter. It is expected the 16-inch MacBook Pro will cost more than $3,000 per unit.
Rendering of Apple's rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Rumored since early 2019, the 16-inch MacBook Pro would be a return to offering bigger notebooks for Apple, with it offering a larger screen than the 15-inch and 13-inch models currently offered by the company. Talk from the supply chain indicates it is on the way, with its launch happening shortly.
According to sources of DigiTimes, Taiwanese assembly partner Quanta Computer has commenced production and is shipping the 16-inch MacBook Pro at volume. The model will apparently be equipped with Intel's "Coffee Lake" or "Ice Lake" processors, and will feature an "ultra-thin bezel design" with a scissor keyboard mechanism.
It is unclear how accurate the report is, as DigiTimes has a mixed history when it comes to rumors. While the publication does well with supply chain shipments and timings, product feature pronouncements aren't its strongest suit.
In August, an IHS Markit analyst suggested production for the model would start in September, with a target volume of 39,000 units per month.
On Friday, references to a "MacBook Pro 16,1" and images were discovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1, which is usually a good indicator of a product's imminent arrival. The images show a slightly different bezel size for the model compared to the 15-inch model, along with changes in the space usage around the speakers.
Other rumor reports have also touched upon the use of Coffee Lake-H mobile processors and the scissor-switch mechanism, and a 96-Watt USB-C power adapter. It is expected the 16-inch MacBook Pro will cost more than $3,000 per unit.
Comments
Apple isn't the only one who does this. It's pretty common practice in the manufacturing industry. You want that new videogame console on Day 1? Well, it was probably built a month ago and sat in a warehouse up until a couple of days ago.
This is a very well known concept in economics and business.
1. The only reason this is going to start at $2,999 or higher is because Apple is going to pull the same crap with this model as they did with the new Mac Pro and simply not offer a lower-spec model at launch. It will start with a high amount of storage and RAM (which Pro customers usually BTO anyway). Then after a year, I expect we'll see this model replace the 15" MBP with a lower-spec entry model.
2. This pisses me off because this means that after 3 years of an unusable keyboard, the first model to carry their solution to that problem will be the most expensive model. And this will be the only Apple laptop with a worthwhile keyboard for the next several months. That means every single MacBook customer will need to seriously consider (and many will bite) this very expensive model for the keyboard alone.
It just bothers me that Apple would do this, and it bothers me even more that I'm going to support this decision...because I'm in need of the biggest laptop they can offer (like, yesterday), and refuse to buy another one with the butterfly keyboard.
By "unusable" keyboard, you mean a keyboard that tens upon tens of millions of people have used without issue for the last few years, myself included?
The trollish extremism is amazing.
I'll likely be getting this MBP, especially if the keyboard is more like the old one, and I'll likely be shelling out $4k for it. I'm fine with that. If the benefit seems to be better than the expense I'll do it. That's it for me. I'm not bothered that they would put their newest stuff in their newest Mac.
1. Stop making the Apple Watch https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/16/quanta-may-stop-apple-watch-assembly-2020/
2. Supply both Apple and Google with autonomous driving solutions https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/18/quanta-apple-car/
3. Started production on the 16" MB. - This article.
Just to throw dirt, cuz can, anybody remember this gem?https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/03/22/apples-airpower-charging-mat-launching-in-late-march-possibly-in-large-quantities 7days later. AirPower cancelled.
So there will be a 13” MacBook (formerly Pro) and a 15” MacBook (formerly Pro); and there will be the 16” MacBook Pro.