MacBook Pro 2016 release date, specs rumors: Upcoming MacBook to sport an OLED touch bar, 'confirmed' launch on Oct.27

Joana Nicolas Saturday, October 22, 2016

The "new Macbook Pro" is pictured during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2012 in San Francisco, California. | Reuters/Stephen Lam

Sixteen months have passed since Apple had any updates in their Mac lineup. Several of the giant tech company's events have passed and the consumers have yet to hear anything about their plans. However, the drought is soon to be over since it has been "confirmed" that Apple is setting up a launch event on Oct.27.

Based on a report by the generally reliable Recode, they have sources confirming a Mac launch on Oct.27. The move has been anticipated since Apple released the MacOS Sierra last month but have not introduced any new hardware that could take full advantage of the software. The launch is also just in time since the holiday season is right around the corner.

There have not been any significant changes to the previous Mac models but in the upcoming launch, people are expecting that Apple will introduce a new "thinner and lighter" MacBook Pro Touch ID support and a new OLED display touch bar above the keyboard, according to a report by reliable Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo from KGI Securities corroborating with 9to5Mac's sources. The recently launched Sierra has added support for Apple's Siri voice assistant and the ability to copy and paste between iOS and MacOS devices, among its other features.

According to 9to5Mac, Kuo's report claims that the OLED display touch bar will replace the physical function keys at the top of the keyboard, while the design will adopt new metal injection molded hinges. Furthermore, the refreshed MacBook Pros are said to feature USB-C support and Thunderbolt 3.

Meanwhile, Tech for Hunt have speculated the pricing for the new Macs to be released. U.S. price can range from $1,300 to $1,350. In the United Kingdom, a 2016 Mac could cost £899, C$1,700 to C$ 1,750 in Canada, and A$ 1,850 to A$1,900 in Australia.

As per Recode, the Oct.27 Mac event is expected to take place at or near Apple's Cupertino campus rather than in San Francisco, where the company held many recent events, including the iPhone 7 announcement.