DigiTimes: 16-Inch MacBook Pro to Launch by End of October With Ultra-Slim Bezels and Scissor Keyboard

Apple’s widely rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro will be available by the end of October, suggesting that an announcement is imminent, according to supply chain sources cited by hit-or-miss industry publication DigiTimes.

16-inch MacBook Pro concept by MacRumors

The report claims Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer has already begun volume shipments of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which the supply chain sources expect to feature a more reliable scissor keyboard, an “ultra-thin bezel design,” and Intel’s latest Coffee Lake Refresh or Ice Lake processors, although Intel has yet to announce Ice Lake chips appropriate for a high-end MacBook Pro.

The slimmer bezels would result in the 16-inch MacBook Pro being around the same size as the existing 15-inch model despite having a larger display. IHS Markit analyst Jeff Lin said the notebook’s resolution will be 3,072×1,920 pixels.

Last week, icons depicting a MacBook Pro with slimmer bezels in Silver and Space Gray were uncovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta, lending credence to an upcoming release. Both icons were created just over a week ago, have “16” in the filename, and reference an unreleased MacBookPro16,1 model.

15-inch MacBook Pro icon on left, possible 16-inch MacBook Pro icon on right via MacGeneration

Apple’s plans to release a 16-inch MacBook Pro were first revealed by Ming-Chi Kuo, who back in February said the notebook would be released in 2019. Kuo later said the notebook would be equipped with a scissor keyboard. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has also reported that the notebook is coming in 2019.

Apple is expected to position the 16-inch MacBook Pro at the high end of its notebook lineup, with existing 15-inch and 13-inch MacBook Pro models remaining available and following suit with scissor keyboards in 2020, according to Kuo.