MacBook Pro 2016 release date, specs news update: Headphone jack may be dropped from Mac laptops

Apple may be planning to take the headphone jack off of the upcoming MacBook Pro 2016.

When the iPhone 7 variants were unveiled during the Sept. 7 press event, the newest line of Apple smartphones were noticeably missing one familiar feature: the headphone jack. Now it seems that the Cupertino-based company may be planning to take the new design alteration to the rest of its product lines, the MacBook Pro 2016 included.

According to reports, Apple has been sending out surveys to MacBook Pro users regarding the laptop's connectivity features. Survey questions touched on topics like headphone port usage, photo transfer preferences and battery life. All this seemed to suggest that aside from improving the MacBook Pro 2016's battery life, Apple may also be planning to do away with both the headphone jack and the USB ports in its flagship laptop line.

However, sources noted that leaked images of a laptop chassis presumed to belong to the upcoming MacBook Pro 2016 still seemed to feature both a USB-C port and a 3.5-millimeter headphone ports. And since the official design of this year's MacBook Pro update is rumored to be announced in October, the features observed in the leaked chassis images, which were sent to Cult of Mac early this year, may already be the laptop's final look.

This means that Apple's latest product survey may have been sent to help the tech company determine the design changes and improvements it will be implementing in future MacBook Pro models following the one expected to launch this year.

Based on the leaked images, the MacBook Pro 2016 may feature a total of four USB-C ports. According to a report, the upcoming laptops may also feature support for Thunderbolt 3, which would make it possible to use just one cable to deliver power, PCI Express and DisplayPort via the USB-C connections.

These connectivity changes seem to be intended to make the MacBook Pro line as thin and as light as possible without compromising its more familiar features and functionalities.

Speculations point to a possible announcement of the finalized MacBook Pro 2016 features in October. But Apple has yet to release an official statement regarding this matter.

Meanwhile, The Daily Express reported that Apple's MacBook Pro and Air lines may be the only laptops protected against the recently released USB Killer. This is a USB stick that allegedly destroys any computer that it is plugged into by delivering a devastating surge of power via the USB port, which could snuff out and render the computer useless.

Since Mac laptops isolate its data lines on the USB ports, it said to be immune to such an attack.