MacBook Pro 2016 release date, specs: Device coming in November said to be thinner but more powerful

A man looks at his Apple iPad in front an Apple logo outside an Apple store in downtown Shanghai March 16, 2012.Reuters/Aly Song

The MacBook Pro 2016 will be released this November with a sleeker and thinner build and a faster processor, according to the latest reports.

Apple purportedly has tons of upgrade plans with regards to the new version of its laptop. One is that it will make use of the Intel Kaby Lake processor, the successor of the Skylake.

The chip is expected to be ready later this year and Apple reportedly plans to take advantage of the new Intel product for the MacBook Pro 2016.

The Kaby Lake will make for a thinner build, thanks to its increased efficiency and loew power consumption. Because of this, the notebook might no longer need a fan, thus allowing Apple to slim it down. This should also help prolong the battery life of the laptop.

The MacBook Pro 2016 is also expected to sport USB Type-C ports, which are slowly becoming the norm, albeit mostly for smartphones and tablets.

Apple will apparently make use of the said connectors, despite a report by Digitimes that only makes mention of the MacBook Air 2016 getting the said feature.

USB C-Type ports are preferred for being capable of high-speed data transfers. This means that tasks can be done quickly and more efficiently in the MacBook Pro 2016, should the port be adapted by Apple for the device.

The MacBook Pro 2016 is also rumored to get an OLED touch bar, which will replace the physical function keys above the keyboard with a touchscreen projection instead.

Reports also hint that it will get a remote Touch ID and will enjoy the luscious features introduced on the newly-unveiled macOS Sierra including a much improved version of voice assistant Siri.

As for the release date, the MacBook Pro 2016 is expected to be released this November, a couple of months after all other Apple flagships such as the iPhone 7 are unveiled to the world.