Earlier this week there was a rumor going around that Apple was set to drop the MacBook Pro 13- and 15-inch models in favor of a 15-inch MacBook Air. Two days later and we’re hearing Apple has no intention of cutting those models. Instead, we’re going to see a redesigned range of Pros appearing very soon.
According to sources in the supply chain, Apple has decided to retain the MacBook Pro range, but make it significantly thinner. To achieve that the optical drive has been removed. To continue to differentiate the Pro from the Air, Apple is going to offer higher spec machines as well as continuing to offer 13-, 15- and 17-inch models.
Apparently 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros sporting the new design are already in production, and Apple began receiving them this month. Initial shipments will be limited to 150,000 a month, but that should ramp up over time.
An April unveiling is still expected, but that would mean stock is quite limited if a worldwide rollout is planned. Even so, thinner Pros will surely be welcomed by power users who want to remain portable and for which the 13-inch MacBook Air is just too small or underpowered to be of use.
With Intel expected to ship its 22nm Ivy Bridge processors in April, could Apple have done a deal to get the chips first for the launch of the new MacBook Pro range? Doing so would certainly differentiate the performance from the MacBook Air, as well as allowing for longer battery life due to the power savings Ivy Bridge offers.
...anyone have any thoughts/opinions on this? I for one am upset considering I just bought all of the hd dvds to the Backdoor Sluts franchise.
