The MacBook Pro is reportedly getting a major redesign.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a highly reliable Apple analyst at KGI Securities, has put out a new research note claiming that Apple is planning to incorporate a second screen into the high-end Apple laptop, 9to5Mac reports.
This OLED screen would be touch-sensitive and sit above the keyboard — replacing the current function buttons (F1, F2, F3, etc.).
It could provide more flexibility and room for customization for Apple and for users, who could potentially add shortcuts and apps they frequently use to the screen.
The report has also been corroborated by Mark Gurman, a reporter over at 9to5Mac, who has an extremely good track record at breaking news on coming Apple products.
"Source confirms Apple prepping new MacBook Pro with 2nd display for functions above the keyboard, Touch ID/Apple Pay," Gurman wrote on Twitter.
What else is coming to the new MacBook Pros? They are also said to be "thinner and lighter," with 9to5Mac reporting that they will take "design cues" from the 12-inch MacBook that Apple first introduced in May 2015 in an overhaul of the traditional MacBook line.
They will also reportedly have Touch ID support — suggesting that you will be able to unlock your MacBook and authorize purchases using your fingerprint, as you already can on the iPhone.
The MacBook Pro line has been has gone largely unchanged (apart from internal upgrades) since it introduced Retina Displays in 2012 and phased out optical drives.
Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros will apparently be updated with the new design, which is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2016.
If it's true, we may see more leaks and rumors in the weeks and months ahead — but don't expect any confirmation from Apple. The company never comments on rumoured products before they are officially announced.
