Sources: latest MacBook Pro photo is the real deal
A photo of a mysterious notebook leaked on the Internet Wednesday is indeed one taken of Apple's next-generation MacBook Pro casing, AppleInsider can confirm. Meanwhile, some additional photos of a similar, but still unauthenticated 13-inch notebook have since surfaced.
The new MacBook Pro
According to people familiar with Apple's upcoming notebook offerings, the photo (below) is that of a partial prototype of the company's new 15-inch MacBook Pro, revealing the left side of the unit as well as its keyboard and palm rest areas.
The verification adds yet another piece to the puzzle, with AppleInsider having previously authenticated an earlier photo showing the base of the unit as well as its top shell. When combined, the two photos offer a significant window into what consumers can expect Apple's new professional notebooks to look like when they're released to market in the coming weeks.
The latest photo also reveals a new port layout for the MacBook Pro, which appears to include a FireWire 800 port, two side-by-side USB ports, an Ethernet port, audio in and out, and what may be a mini-DVI port. Again, these findings are consistent with a report published late last month.
Meanwhile, some publications have jumped to the conclusion that the latest photo provides evidence that Apple is using some completely new and revolutionary manufacturing process to stamp out its new MacBook Pro design from a single block of aluminum, which does not appear to be the case.
The two authenticated photographs (below, and below) clearly combine to show at least two separate components that will be joined to form the base of the unit, similar to the way the company constructs its existing MacBook Pro. The only difference appears to be in the layout of those pieces and the way they fit together.
An authentic photo of Apple's next-gen MacBook Pro top panel and left-side port makeup.
Another authentic photo showing the MacBook Pros base panel and top shell .
The existing MacBook Pro is constructed from a base container molded from a single piece of aluminum (that includes the unit's sides), which is then capped with a separate palm rest/keyboard area. The two are then secured by screws on the left- and right-side of the unit. With the new MacBook Pro, Apple is molding the palm rest/keyboard area and sides from one piece of aluminum, then securing a separate base through screws that will be visible at the base of the unit, not the sides.
Also of interest is the MacBook Pro's keyboard component, where individual key containers are carved out of the aluminum sheet that forms the top of the unit's base component. Again, this is nothing new. Apple has been employing this same technique in MacBook Air manufacturing for nearly a year, and on the plastic 13-inch MacBooks for several years (photos below).
The new MacBook Pro shares the same keyboard cutout as the MacBook Air.
The new MacBook Pro shares the same keyboard cutout as the 2.5-year old MacBook.
Potentially the new MacBook
Separately, Apple.pro, the website responsible for leaking the first authentic images of the MacBook Pro casing back in July, has since published a trio of images that may turn out to be authentic representations of Apple's upcoming aluminum 13-inch MacBooks.
New photos which may reveal part of Apple's next-gen 13-inch MacBook design.
AppleInsider reported last month that both the new MacBook and MacBook Pro were spotted in matching outfits, building on reports from April that originally tagged both to obtain new aluminum enclosures that borrowed design cues from the aluminum iMacs and MacBook Air.
The new MacBook Pro
According to people familiar with Apple's upcoming notebook offerings, the photo (below) is that of a partial prototype of the company's new 15-inch MacBook Pro, revealing the left side of the unit as well as its keyboard and palm rest areas.
The verification adds yet another piece to the puzzle, with AppleInsider having previously authenticated an earlier photo showing the base of the unit as well as its top shell. When combined, the two photos offer a significant window into what consumers can expect Apple's new professional notebooks to look like when they're released to market in the coming weeks.
The latest photo also reveals a new port layout for the MacBook Pro, which appears to include a FireWire 800 port, two side-by-side USB ports, an Ethernet port, audio in and out, and what may be a mini-DVI port. Again, these findings are consistent with a report published late last month.
Meanwhile, some publications have jumped to the conclusion that the latest photo provides evidence that Apple is using some completely new and revolutionary manufacturing process to stamp out its new MacBook Pro design from a single block of aluminum, which does not appear to be the case.
The two authenticated photographs (below, and below) clearly combine to show at least two separate components that will be joined to form the base of the unit, similar to the way the company constructs its existing MacBook Pro. The only difference appears to be in the layout of those pieces and the way they fit together.
An authentic photo of Apple's next-gen MacBook Pro top panel and left-side port makeup.
Another authentic photo showing the MacBook Pros base panel and top shell .
The existing MacBook Pro is constructed from a base container molded from a single piece of aluminum (that includes the unit's sides), which is then capped with a separate palm rest/keyboard area. The two are then secured by screws on the left- and right-side of the unit. With the new MacBook Pro, Apple is molding the palm rest/keyboard area and sides from one piece of aluminum, then securing a separate base through screws that will be visible at the base of the unit, not the sides.
Also of interest is the MacBook Pro's keyboard component, where individual key containers are carved out of the aluminum sheet that forms the top of the unit's base component. Again, this is nothing new. Apple has been employing this same technique in MacBook Air manufacturing for nearly a year, and on the plastic 13-inch MacBooks for several years (photos below).
The new MacBook Pro shares the same keyboard cutout as the MacBook Air.
The new MacBook Pro shares the same keyboard cutout as the 2.5-year old MacBook.
Potentially the new MacBook
Separately, Apple.pro, the website responsible for leaking the first authentic images of the MacBook Pro casing back in July, has since published a trio of images that may turn out to be authentic representations of Apple's upcoming aluminum 13-inch MacBooks.
New photos which may reveal part of Apple's next-gen 13-inch MacBook design.
AppleInsider reported last month that both the new MacBook and MacBook Pro were spotted in matching outfits, building on reports from April that originally tagged both to obtain new aluminum enclosures that borrowed design cues from the aluminum iMacs and MacBook Air.
Comments
How does this link in with the 800 buck notebook rumour?
And I'm glad the brick probably wasn't the solid block of Aluminium idea, that's cool, but I am hoping for something a bit more whiz-bang (like the mythical tablet).
Any chance of a macmini update as well? I really need one for my HDTV, it would be perfect. C'mon Apple!
[...], and what may be a mini-DVI port.
I don't believe it is, it's too small.
Also, what do we think of a possibility of a black plastic underside, in line with the iMac? Just throwing ideas out there.
/Adrian
DisplayPort would be the perfect future-safe port, but it is about the size of a USB-A connector...
and this half:
Are fixed on top of each other, the chassis of the MBP (minus the screen) will be the width of what we can see in the top image, and the curved base we can see in the second image, combined. Wouldn't this mean that the new MacBook Pros are going to be a fair bit thicker, at least in parts, than the current models?
I FREAKING HOPE SO.
I also can't find any possible display connector that fits into this hole: VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, Micro-DVI are all wider and some are higher, mini-DVI is higher. Only mini-VGA could fit, but where's the point in an analog-only port ?
DisplayPort would be the perfect future-safe port, but it is about the size of a USB-A connector...
i'm sure it'll be an apple specific adapter and you can plug in your DVI/VGA...and maybe even displayport/hdmi.... that might be pushing it a little though.
I hope they add HDMI at least to make it easier to plug into a plasma/lcd tv.
Without a blu-ray drive- why bother?
I'd like a black frame as it gives the image a bit more definition (I'm not talking in a resolution sense). I've got an iMac and it does make the screen pop. Don't know if they will do it though, some people like the black frames, some people don't, matter of taste I guess.
Unless it's painted around an eyeball, black liners are ugly.
It is good that they now build the MacBook in alluminium, much as the Air, but on the other hand Apple should have taken steps to truly differentiate the "Pro" line from the others.
My MacBook Pro won't look too old in comparison to the new one (and I am pleased with that).
I think, however, that keeping the "Pro" line different than the other line is something consumers would like. Maybe a different material for the chassis, or a different colour?
Apple has built it's strength on the "status" value of their products, besides the wonderful OS and exceptional built quality. People spending for the "Pro" line, that is my personal feeling (not only as a "Pro" owner, but also as a person with a master in communication), love to be recognized,
That, I think, will be missed. Apple only produces three lines of notebooks. If they all look the same, then they defenitely loose something in terms of percieved status value. That, of course besides the tech specs.
Now... IF (underline IF) the MacBook receives a discrete GPU (which I look forward to) then the distinction with the MacBook Pro gets thinner and thinner. So I defenitely was looking forward to a "design" added value to push "Pro" sales.
I am happy with my MacBook Pro, and will keep it for a while, but I also would like Apple to be a really healthy company with revolutionary products that sell well. So that in some years I will still be purchasing these tech products "designed in Cupertino" :-)
Are fixed on top of each other, the chassis of the MBP (minus the screen) will be the width of what we can see in the top image, and the curved base we can see in the second image, combined. Wouldn't this mean that the new MacBook Pros are going to be a fair bit thicker, at least in parts, than the current models?
I FREAKING HOPE SO.
I don't know where you people are getting that it'll be thicker. Looks to me like it will be exactly the same thickness as the current one, just with a little more rounding on the edges (and not much more, either).
Without a blu-ray drive- why bother?
I know this one... because Blu-ray is not the only way to get HD content, AND an internal Blu-ray drive costing $1000* extra is not the only option for BRDs.
* These $1000 drives are for 12.7mm drives, not the 9.5mm drives that Apple uses in its most popular machines.
I am as Apple crazy as the next guy but is it just me or does this all seem trivial in the light of the what's going on in the World at the moment?
There is always something going on in the world that trivializes any new product from Apple, but I know that a short reprieve from the constant bombardment of the economy and election is nice. At least it's not about the iPhone.
I know this one... because Blu-ray is not the only way to get HD content, AND an internal Blu-ray drive costing $1000* extra is not the only option for BRDs.
* These $1000 drives are for 12.7mm drives, not the 9.5mm drives that Apple uses in its most popular machines.
That figure seems way steep. How do the PC manufacturers include them if they cost that much?
PC's with blu-ray are simply not $1,000 more than the non-Blu-ray versions.
AND blu-ray is the only way to get HD video and 7.1 channel sound.
I also can't find any possible display connector that fits into this hole: VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, Micro-DVI are all wider and some are higher, mini-DVI is higher. Only mini-VGA could fit, but where's the point in an analog-only port ?
DisplayPort would be the perfect future-safe port, but it is about the size of a USB-A connector...
That's a 4 pin FireWire port. Having looked at both the MBP and the MB images, it seems like Apple is replacing the 6 pin IEEE1394a ports with 4 pin IEEE1394a ports.
(The current MBP line features a 9 pin 1394b and a 6 pin 1394a port, and the MB has only a 6 pin 1394a port.)
The difference between the 6 pin and the 4 pin 1394a ports are the different connector shape and the lack of power connections in the 4 pin version.
It is a pretty sad change for those like me who used the MB with FireWire cameras powered from the FireWire port. For us the only workaround is to buy an external FireWire power adapter (about 10 bucks). Additional hassle...
For those who used their FireWire ports only to connect their camcorders, the change will have no such consequences because camcorders have their own power supplies. They will only need to replace the cable.
I am as Apple crazy as the next guy but is it just me or does this all seem trivial in the light of the what's going on in the World at the moment?
Let me get this right- you're on an Apple fetish website and pondering why we don't refrain from the fetish?