Apple said to update Macs, MacBooks
(CBS News) Apple's MacBook Pro may not be the only computer to get an upgrade this year. According to new reports, the entire computer line may get a simultaneous update.
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Apple's Mac Pro, iMac, MacBook and MacBook Air lines may all be getting an upgrade to be announced at the Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) next week, 9to5Mac reports.
Rumors have already circulated that Apple will introduce a new 15-inch MacBook Pro, featuring Retina Display, a slimmer body and hardware updates. In addition to the new laptop model, the MacBook Air is said to be getting upgrades that also include Retina Display and hardware upgrades.
Specifications for Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro has allegedly been spotted, suggesting USB 3.0 ports and Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge processor, Apple Insider reports.
Apple Insider cites the Japanese blog Macotakara, which claims to have obtained a photo of the laptop's new specifications. The 13-inch MacBook Pro will also reportedly have "two high-speed USB 3.0 ports, in addition to a Thunderbolt port, SDXC card slot, and FireWire 800 port." Conflicting with previous rumors, the alleged specs suggest no Retina Display.
There has been previous speculation over whether or not Apple will omit optical disk drives, but if these specifications are correct the new 13-inch MacBook will have an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive.
Previous rumors have suggested that Apple may release a $799 MacBook Air. Sources from "the upstream supply chain" report that Apple plans to release a cheaper MacBook Air to compete with the new Ultrabook trend, which gained momentum during the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), according to DigiTimes.
WWDC will be held from June 11 to June 15. Tickets are sold out, but Apple will post videos of the sessions "shortly after the conference" online.
Thousands of developers are expected to descend on San Francisco to attend seminars and events lead by Apple engineers. The conference will highlight the latest operating systems for mobile devices and desktop computers, iOS and the soon to be released OS X Mountain Lion.
Apple's keynote address will take place on Monday, June 11 at 10 a.m. PT. It's been speculated that chief executive officer Tim Cook will lead the event. The conference schedule is posted at Apple's website.
