| During a press event held on October 27, 2016, at the company’s headquarters, Apple announced new fourth-generation 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models. The models introduce the Touch Bar, a multi-touch enabled OLED strip built into the top of the keyboard, replacing the function keys. They also include a sapphire-glass covered Touch ID sensor at the right end of the Touch Bar. The enclosure continues to be an all-metal unibody construction with significant reduction in volume and weight. All ports have been replaced with either two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports, any of which can be used for charging, and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The models also introduce a “second-generation” butterfly mechanism keyboard similar to that of the Retina MacBook. The fourth generation 13-inch model has a trackpad that is 46% larger than its predecessor while the 15-inch model has a trackpad twice as large as the previous iteration. Speakers grilles are relocated to both sides of the keyboard on the 13-inch variant. Other updates to the new MacBook Pro include faster sixth-generation “Skylake” dual- and quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, improved graphics (Radeon Pro 450, 455 and optional 460 available on 15-inch models), and displays that offer a 25% wider color gamut, 67% more brightness, and 67% more contrast. Apple also introduced a new lower-end 13-inch model which lacks the Touch Bar in favor of function keys and has only two Thunderbolt 3 ports. |
