Tech-savvy fans have been waiting for a new MacBook Pro for a while now, but Apple is still mum on the new laptop's release date. Now, a new report claims the hotly anticipated device might be launched in the second half of 2017.
Macworld reports that there will be an update to the complete lineup of Apple devices this year. According to tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the tech giant will be releasing its sleek new laptop before the year ends. He also reveals that the upcoming MacBook Pro will have 32 GB of RAM and will run on Intel Kaby Lake chipset. Additionally, the analyst claims that mass production of the laptop's 13-inch and 15-inch variants will begin in the third quarter of 2017.
As for the device's graphics card, the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar currently has the Intel Iris Graphics 540 while the variant without Touch Bar offers the Intel Iris Graphics 550. The 15-inch model, on the other hand, currently runs with Radeon Pro 450 or Radeon Pro 455, along with Intel HD Graphics 530.
The Radeon Pro 400 series debuted in October last year, so those were new graphics processors when the new devices came out. The Radeon RX 500 series is reportedly up for a 2017 release, which means the upcoming processors could be used for the next MacBook Pro models.
Meanwhile, Apple is expected to improve its Touch Bar feature after hackers recently managed to gain root control of the MacOS through a MacBook Pro. During the annual Pwn2Own competition held last week, hackers Samuel Groß and Niklas Baumstark were able to exploit a security hole in Safari and took over the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar. The hackers have already sent the information about the attack, which means Apple should be in the process of patching the system up now.
Initially limited to Apple applications, the Touch Bar has eventually gained functionality with many popular apps since its release. It now offers support for Spotify, Photoshop, and other Microsoft Office features. More software apps are expected to offer Touch Bar support in the future.
