Is Apple giving the MacBook Pro a slimmed-down makeover?
(CBS) - It's the tale of the incredible, shrinking computer. From the minute the world went digital, both desktops and laptops have been getting smaller or slimmer by the upgrade. At some point, will we browse and type on paper-thin tablets? Maybe.
In fact, it's rumored that Apple will be giving the beloved MacBook Pro a thinner-and-lighter makeover.
It's a good move, say tech reporters. "Consumers are favoring size and portability over a heftier 'do-it-all' type machine," explains Wired.
We've been introduced to the MacBook Air, which did away with the optical drive to achieve a really slim silhouette, and the Mac Mini, which also ditched its optical drive in its latest iteration. What's next for Apple to shrink?
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"The success Apple has had with its MacBook Air refresh will likely lead the company to completely redesign its MacBook Pro line in favor of a thinner and lighter form factor," according to PC World. "A 15-inch Air-like MacBook Pro and a 17-inch model are in the works, sources say, and may be here in time for holiday gift giving."
Techies are suspecting that a reincarnated MacBook Pro will probably feature more ports, better graphics and more storage than the MacBook Air. So what's the point of getting the MacBook Air over the MacBook Pro then? It will boil down to price. With the rumored upgrade, we can only assume that the MacBook Pro will have a heftier price tag.
And thanks to the iCloud, which Apple unveiled to users in June, these devices have a fighting chance to be ultra portable and sexy without sacrificing storage. "There are a variety of cloud storage solutions that customers can use instead of loading up on files on their actual gadget," says Wired. "With our music, photos, and documents fed into the cloud, the need for onboard storage becomes increasingly irrelevant and unnecessary."
iCloud replaced Apple's MobileMe program and allows users to store data, such as music files for download to multiple devices.
"It will be interesting to see how thin - and, perhaps more importantly, light - Apple will make the MacBook Pro," says PC World. "We're a bit stumped trying to imagine super-thin and light 15-inch and 17-inch laptops that look like the MacBook Air."