MacBook Pro 2016 release date, specs news: Upgrade is Apple's response to falling sales

Apple's MacBook Pro lineup is set to undergo its first huge product overhaul in four years in the hope of reversing the company's declining fortunes amid a global slump in tech sales.

The significant makeover to the MacBook Pro's aging laptop series is seen as the Cupertino-based tech giant's response to the plummeting sales of some of its products.

By refashioning the MacBook Pro lineup, pundits are expecting to see a warm response from consumers. The tech giant had repeatedly beaten Windows-based computers in the past, but this year's second quarter sales figures indicate a market share drop in the highly competitive PC market from 7.4 percent a year earlier to 7.1 percent this year as per MacRumors report.

As reported by Bloomberg, Mac sales had risen to six percent to $25.5 billion last year but iPad figures were down 23 percent to $23.2 billion. The big iterative upgrade comes at a time when people are delaying their purchase of newer models.

Following a major slowdown in sales, Apple's net income in the second quarter decreased from $10.68 billion a year ago to $7.8 billion. The tech company's revenue of $42.36 was 14 percent less than 2015's $49.6 billion, Silicon Valley Business journal reported. In May, Apple's stock market shares fell $90.34 following news of plunging iPhone sales, especially in China. However, the value has now gone up to $108.81.

As promised, the upcoming models will be thinner than previous versions of the laptop, per Bloomberg's anonymous insider sources. Moreover, additional features include upgraded USB Type-C ports and enhanced ultra-thin graphics chips from Advanced Micro Devices for improved interface experience. There is no insider word yet on the processor, although some analysts predict that Intel is likely to provide the company with a more advanced and powerful processor. Additionally, the function key row will be replaced with a screen featuring organic light-emitting diodes that display functions related to the current task or application used.

While speculations suggest a September release alongside the iPhone 7 launch, Bloomberg's sources indicate that the rumored date is not feasible for the new MacBook Pro. Other reports suggest a launch around October.