Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
“At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006,” says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
Earlier today, Apple introduced a new baseline 14-inch MacBook Pro model with the M6 processor alongside a refreshed iMac. The two upcoming models, which are expected to arrive in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes rocking a touch-sensitive screen, will reportedly come armed with the M5 Pro and the M5 Max processors.
As far as the upgrades go, the fundamental design language is not going to change, but these new models will be thinner and significantly lighter, as per the report. The boat-shaped notch is also going away and will reportedly be replaced by a pill-shaped cutout for the front camera, similar to what users can see on the current-gen iPhones.
“The company has reworked the cooling system as part of the internal redesign, helping reduce weight while improving airflow through the hinge,” adds the report. Apple will continue to sell MacBook Pro models with a non-touch-sensitive display. But the broad theme is pretty evident. We have firmly entered an age where laptops targeted at high-end tasks are going to start at a minimum of $2,000, dollars, and that too at the very baseline of prosumer demands.
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