Apple's Biggest MacBook Pro Update In Years Is Apparently About To Hit Production

For quite some time now, Apple fans have been waiting for the announcement of the next MacBook Pro. Rumors have been dropping left and right, and at one point, many expected Apple to announce a fresh batch of MacBooks at WWDC 2021. Unfortunately, that show came and went without any big hardware reveals, but now a noted Apple analyst is giving us a better idea of when these new MacBooks could launch.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (as reported by 9to5Mac), new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBooks Pros will be ready to enter mass production shortly. Specifically, Kuo thinks that the MacBook Pros could enter mass production in the third quarter of this year, which as of July 1st is the quarter we're currently in.

Kuo didn't give any indication of when he expects Apple to actually announce the new MacBook Pros. Still, if they're entering mass production sometime in the next few months, Apple could be lining up a reveal for its iPhone event later this fall. Then again, Apple could opt to host a special reveal event for the new MacBooks, depending on how dramatic their redesign is.

Kuo's research note suggests that Apple has been working with and investing in Mini-LED suppliers, as it plans to outfit the new MacBook Pros with the display technology. In addition, Kuo expects Apple to outfit new MacBook Airs with Mini-LED displays, too, though he doesn't expect those to be announced until next year.

The next MacBook is rumored to come outfitted with Apple's M1X chip, a successor to the M1 at the center of 2020's MacBooks. We've heard plenty of rumors about the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, so check out the timeline below for the most notable rumors and reports from the past few weeks.