Anticipation. Used correctly it is a powerful marketing tool ahead of a product launch. And it’s clear that anticipation is building around Apple’s MacBook Pro line-up, specifically the idea of a 16-inch MacBook Pro, packed into the format of the current 15-inch model. More screen real estate, the latest specs, and a new keyboard are all expected.
But anticipation can go on for too long. Where is this mysterious Mac?
The latest leak around the 16-Inch MacBook Pro comes from MacRumors’ Adam Speight and highlights the change to the Touch Bar. The TouchID sensor on the far right, which previously appeared to be integrated in the touch bar, is now an isolated black square.
Presuming a designer’s love of symmetry, that suggests there will be an isolated element on the far left of the touch bar. That ties into the images of a new larger screened MacBook Pro discovered inside MacOS Catalina 10.15.2 that suggests a physical key on the left hand side.
Yes, after its deletion when the full-length Touch Bar was introduced, It looks like the escape key is back… assuming that the 16-inch MacBook Pro makes an appearance. Because the mystery around the launch of the larger laptop is building.
Since the start of the year, supply chain analysts have been discussing Apple’s Mac portfolio, with the return of a large-screened MacBook Pro heavily trailed. Speculation increased over the summer with the news that this mythical MacBook Pro would not only offer the largest screen on any MacBook since 2012’s cancellation of the 17-Inch MacBook Pro, but would also replace the temperamental and embarrassing butterfly-switched keyboard.
WWDC 2019 saw Apple announce a rejuvenated Mac Pro machine. The device is heavily geared towards developers and media creators requiring huge amounts of digital horsepower, making the Developer Conference the best place to announce it. Although it has yet to go on sale to the public, it has shown up in FCC listings.
What of this new 16-inch MacBook Pro that, although unannounced, showed every sign of being in the production pipeline? While there was an outside chance that Apple could pull a ‘One More Thing’ at the launch of the iPhone 11 family, most of the geekerati were looking at an October event for the launch of the new laptop. After all, the new MacBook Air with USB-C and a Retina Display was launched October 30th 2018, so history was expected to repeat itself.
Reinforcing that idea were indications that manufacturing lines had begun production at end of September and details on volume shipments beginning during Q4 2019.
Let’s tie this all up. We have evidence that Apple’s 2019 portfolio was expecting a 16-inch MacBook Pro. We have evidence that Apple was making changes to hardware to address previous failures in the keyboard in what would likely be its flagship laptop. We have evidence that manufacturing process is under way. And we have evidence of the new machine inside the latest version of MacOS Catalina.
What we don’t have is any confirmation from Apple that this most mysterious of Mac machines is ready to go on sale.
We just have the anticipation.
Now read the latest Apple Headlines in this week’s edition of Apple Loop, here on Forbes…
