MacBook Pros Will Reportedly Get an OLED Touchscreen Above the Keyboard
Michael Nunez
Filed to: AppleFiled to: Apple
Image: Apple / Gizmodo
Dependable rumors suggest that the MacBook Pro is about to get major revamp. According to a new report from Ming-Chi Kuo at KGI Securities, Apple will release a dramatic redesign of the MacBook Pro in the fourth quarter. "Dramatic" might be too small a word, actually.
Kuo says that the new model with have a "thinner and lighter design"—as you'd probably expect—but he also claims the Macbook will have an OLED display touch bar sitting right above the keyboard. The new OLED screen would apparently be positioned right about the keyboard where function buttons (i.e. F1 - F12 buttons) currently sit. According to Kuo, the new screen will be touch sensitive so it can be used for things like shortcuts, and the new machine will also support TouchID, USB-C, and Thunderbolt 3.
Image: US Patent and Trademark Office
This isn't the first time rumors have swirled about Apple adding a second screen to the MacBook Pro. In April, an Apple patent surfaced showing a laptop with its physical keyboard was replaced by one giant touchpad. In the patent filing, Apple described the surface as a "force-sensitive input structure for an electronic device." The customizable surface could also be programmed to include a trackpad and keyboard.
Although Kuo's description is not as extreme as the full-fledged touchpad keyboard shown in the patent filing, it does indicate that Apple is wading slowly in the direction of a two-screen device. Whether or not a short strip of OLED technology built into the keyboard is a legitimate rumor remains to be seen, but if history is any indication, Kuo can be trusted. In the past, Kuo has correctly predicted 3D Touch on the iPhone, Apple Watch specifications, and many other features before they were released to the public. So trust this rumor slightly more than others. But remember, it's still a rumor until Apple makes it a reality.
[9to5Mac]
Technology editor at Gizmodo.
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