Skip to main content

An image of the redesigned 16-inch MacBook Pro gets dropped in Catalina

There’s no hiding the fact that Apple is working on a completely redesigned 16-inch MacBook Pro. While previous rumors have indicated that a release might not come until 2020, a new set of images from MacOS now suggests that it might be coming a bit sooner than expected.

French publication MacGeneration recently discovered that the MacOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta 2 contains a visual reference to the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Seen below, it reveals the icon for a MacBook model with much slimmer bezels and more room around the speakers, as compared to the current 15-inch MacBook. The overall chassis of the MacBook otherwise appears to be the same, and the wallpaper on the MacBook appears to be from Mac OS X Tiger.

16 inch MacBook Pro Image
The 16-inch MacBook Pro from macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta 2 MacGeneration

It’s not clear how these images were obtained — or if they are authentic — but this could suggest that Apple has already begun testing the rumored MacBook internally with MacOS Catalina. It also would support the previous rumors from IHS Markit that Apple has already started production on the MacBook Pro 16-inch model. And, since MacOS Catalina 10.15.1 is expected for release sometime this fall, there could be the chance that the new MacBook might be coming this year instead.

Recommended Videos

In addition to the images, the model number for the 16-inch Macbook has also been claimed to been discovered, with MacGeneration citing it as MacBookPro16.1. However, as pointed out by AppleInsider, the 16,1 doesn’t really prove that a 16-inch model exists. Apple currently refers to the 15-inch MacBook Pro as 13,3.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

According to other rumors, the 16-inch MacBook Pro could feature a new keyboard, ditching the older butterfly mechanism for a new scissor-switch mechanism that is supported by glass fiber. It’s also said that the 16-inch TFT-LCD panel onboard the device could be coming from LG. As for what’s powering the MacBook, it could be the 9th-gen Intel Coffee Lake-H processors. In the graphics department, the 16-inch MacBook Pro could feature AMD’s new 7nm Navi graphics chips.

Of course, the 16-inch MacBook Pro would be a costly endeavor for most consumers. Previous rumors from said that it could come in at well over $3,000. That might be worth the price to pay, as it will be something special, and the first MacBook larger than 15-inches since the 17-inch MacBook Pro in 2011.

A separate, but similar, rumor with icons spotted in iOS 13.2 beta also hinted at the existence of AirPods 3, or AirPod Pros.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
The performance downgrade made to the M4 Pro that no one is talking about
Someone using a MacBook Pro M4.

I've spent this whole week testing the new M4 chip, specifically the M4 Pro in both the Mac mini and 16-inch MacBook Pro. They are fantastic, impressive chips, but in my testing, I noticed something pretty surprising about the way they run that I haven't seen others talk much about. I'm talking about the pretty significant change Apple made in this generation to power modes.

First off, Apple has extended the different power modes to the "Pro" level chips for the first time, having kept it as an exclusive for Max in the past. The three power modes, found in System Settings, are the following: Low Power, Automatic, and High Power. The interesting thing, however, is that in my testing, the Low Power drops performance far more this time around.

Read more
Apple faces challenges with bringing OLED to the MacBook Air
The MacBook Air on a white table.

A report from Korean outlet The Elec suggests the OLED MacBook Air that Apple was allegedly planning to release in 2027 could face significant delays. While progress for the OLED MacBook Pro seems to be going smoothly, the price increase caused by the new display technology is a much bigger problem for the budget MacBook Air models.

One of the biggest selling points of the MacBook Air is its lower price, making it great for first-time Mac buyers, students, and anyone else who doesn't expressly need the power of a Pro. While price increases are a natural part of the tech industry, the slightly disappointing sales of the 2024 OLED iPad Pro suggest that a new display simply isn't enough of an incentive for consumers to justify a higher price tag.

Read more
The M5 MacBook Pro may be another boring update
MacBook Pro with M4

The recently announced 2024 MacBook Pro lineup is not even on the market yet, but there is already buzz about the next two generations of the laptop series. Speculation suggests that there likely won’t be any exciting features on the Apple device until 2026.

There have already been rumors circulating, which indicate the MacBook Pro may upgrade from a mini-LED display to an OLED display in 2026, has been speculated for many months. Industry analysts, including Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young, have stated that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are set to remain as mini-LED displays in 2025.

Read more