We’re still expecting Apple to launch a 14-inch MacBook Pro eventually to replace the current MacBook 13-inch, though because of the recent upgrade to the existing 13-inch model, it could be that this is now due in 2021.
Apple announced an all-new 16-inch MacBook Pro last year with a larger display, improved graphics, bigger battery and better speakers and microphones. However, the biggest change it brought was a totally refreshed keyboard.
We thought that Apple would launch a 14-inch version of this notebook in early 2020, but this ended up being a refresh of the existing MacBook Pro 13-inch with the new keyboard as well as upgraded internals.
The new keyboard has wider, shallower, clickier keys and a redesigned scissor-switch mechanism dubbed the Magic Keyboard. It is an improvement, but it’s not new tech – it’s based on the Magic Keyboards that have come with iMacs for years.
Like the MacBook Air, the physical Escape key has returned while the key caps can be removed and replaced. There’s still a Touch Bar, but it is smaller now.
So we’re still expecting Apple to launch a 14-inch MacBook Pro eventually to replace the current MacBook 13-inch. That follows the pattern we saw with the 15-inch being replaced by the 16-inch. Let’s check out the latest rumours.
Release date
- Now due late 2020 or early 2021
We were expecting the 14-inch MacBook Pro to debut in early 2020, but that model ended up being an update to the existing 13-inch. That’s why we’re still expecting there to be a new model either later in 2020 or early in 2021. If it is in late 2020, it’s likely to be in October or November.
If it does get delayed until 2021, it’ll most likely be March since that tends to be when Apple does its Spring product releases.
Specs and design
- 10th generation Intel Core processors
- Mini LED display
We’d expect the 14-inch Pro to be about the same size and thickness as the current 13-inch with smaller bezels to accommodate the larger display. There should be a larger battery promising a full working day of battery life during everyday use plus four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports and a headphone jack.
We’ve heard rumours of numerous Apple products launching with Mini LED displays, so we’d expect the MacBook Pro to be in line for these whenever the new version launches. If the MacBook Pro gets these displays, we’d expect far smaller bezels than currently.
MacBook Pro 14-inch: What’s happened so far?
4 May 2020 – New MacBook Pro 13-inch official
Apple has announced a refresh of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the latest-generation scissor keyboard and 10th generation Intel Core processors. Other enhancements include up to 16GB of faster 3,733MHz RAM as standard and double the storage. Standard storage ranges from 256GB to 1TB, but models can now have up to 4TB of storage.
11 March 2020: 13-inch MacBook Pro refresh set for the second quarter of 2020
Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities says that a new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with the new/old scissor-design keyboard will debut in late March with a launch set for the second quarter of 2020.
11 March 2020: Six new devices with Apple Mini-LED displays in 2020 and 2021
According to the latest rumours Apple will debut six new products featuring Mini-LED display technology over the coming months. Among these will be the 14.1-inch MacBook Pro and an upgrade to the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
13 January 2020: New MacBook Pro spotted in regulatory filings
Shortly before Christmas, Apple submitted some filings to the EC, and one of them is for an unreleased product with the model number A2289.
The company described it as a “portable personal computer” running macOS 10.15. Add it all up, and it’s likely a new MacBook.