New Macbook Pro - AppleInsider pics

This blog has been predicting a Macbook Air-style facelift for the Macbook Pro line for some time now, and the chances of that just got a little more likely today with the publication of these spy shots from Apple Insider, which appear to show the new outer aluminum enclosure of something that looks like a 15” Macbook Pro, but with the more rounded styling of a Macbook Air case. Indeed, from the look of these spy shots, Mac Predictions mockups are looking pretty prescient.

Previous Macbook posts:

• Entire MacBook lineup (13.3”, 15” and 17”) to get Air-styling [Mockup]
  
• Second Generation Penryn Macbook Pro with new enclosure [Mockup]
  
• MacBook Pro updates may reflect MacBook Air design style (mockup)
  

Entire MacBook lineup (13.3”, 15” and 17”) to get Air-styling [Mockup]

Mac Predictions has been saying for some time now that Apple is likely to redesign the MacBook Pro to follow the styling of the new MacBook Air. Apple Insider provided support for that view this week, citing a source that claims the entire MacBook line including the 13.3” MacBook will receive the new look, which reflects both the Air and the new iMac.

Whilst the 13.3” MacBook enclosure is not showing its age to the same extent as the MacBook Pro, it certainly feels like an Apple-style move to go for a bold revision of the entire line in one fell swoop. Here’s a speculative visual to see how that might look. As you can see, we’re guessing that the new MacBook and MacBook Pro will take their cues more from the Air than the iMac.

Second Generation Penryn Macbook Pro with new enclosure [Mockup]

In February, this blog predicted that Apple would update its ageing MacBook Pro line with new enclosures following the slim, curvaceous form of the new MacBook Air. Later that month, Apple released a minor upgrade to the MacBook Pro's specs, but no new enclosure. Undeterred by this setback, MacPredictions continues to believe (based upon speculation, rather than any hard evidence) that Apple is likely to redesign its MacBook Pro enclosures this year. It's just not like Apple to have an inconsistent design style across one of their lines for very long. Remember, for example, when the PowerBook switched from the titanium enclosure to aluminium. First the 17" and 12" models were released. For a few months they were sold alongside the 15" titanium model, until eventually that too switched to the new aluminium enclosure. Apple's introduction of the Air may be indicative of a similar phased rollout.

DailyTech claimed in February that Apple would be updating the MacBook Pro line again in June to introduce new second generation Penryn processors. Perhaps then we'll see the entire line consolodating on the new air-style enclosures.

New MacBook Pro and MacBook launched today

The new MacBook Pro and MacBook updates have just been posted on the Apple Store. Sadly no new enclosure design - just faster processors for the MacBooks and more powerful graphics processors and Multi-Touch trackpads for the Pros.

This makes our prediction of new MacBook Pro enclosures following the design style of MacBook Air less likely, at least for the time being. We still think it's probable by the end of the year.

MacBook Pro updates may reflect MacBook Air design style (mockup)

In late January, AppleInsider speculated that MacBook Pro updates were imminent, and that they would feature the same MultiTouch trackpad that debuted in the MacBook Air. Earlier this month, MacRumors stoked the speculation further with a report on new MacBook Pros appearing in Best Buy’s inventory tracking system.

Just for fun, Mac Predictions has put together this Photoshop mockup to illustrate how the new MacBook Pro may take its design cues from the style of the MacBook Air. It’s interesting to note that the “bulging” cross-section of the Air is also reflected in the new design of the iPod Classic and iPod Nano. This appears to be a new motif that Apple is rolling out across its entire product line. The advantage of the bulge is that it suggests that the product is thinner than it really is, since the product narrows at the sides to present a shallower edge profile.