MacBook Pro 2016 release date rumor: New laptop to have Q4 release with Touch ID?

Apple website

While the new MacBook Pro 2016 hasn't appeared yet, a number of rumored specs have already appeared online. The latest speculations say that Apple plans to extend its Touch ID tech to the upcoming top-tier laptop.

According to 9to5Mac, while the 2016 WWDC came without any announcements on new hardware products, Apple may have scattered some hints about upcoming releases. Rumors say unearthed resources in the new macOS Sierra references "biometric input device taps," which may mean that Touch ID is present in the upcoming top-tier MacBook lineup. The industry follower stated that while it is not conclusive, the references are similar to the resource in the then-beta version of the iOS 7, which turned out to be the APIs needed for the Touch ID feature in the iPhone.

Meanwhile, since Apple has not revealed any MacBook Pros – or any hardware launches for that matter, it is said that there may still be a possibility that the new products will come out later this year. Habitually, the Cupertino-based company schedules new product releases by the fourth quarter, so the MacBook Pro 2016 may possibly launch as early as September.

This has also been suggested by KGI Securities analyst and perennial Apple soothsayer Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated that Apple is planning a release between September to December, which may possibly include thinner and lighter 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro 2016 editions. Aside from the Touch ID feature, it is also said that the new MacBook Pros will come out with sixth-gen Intel SkyLake processors, USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, and may also include the new Polaris lineups of GPUs from AMD. It is also rumored that Apple will prefer OLED touch panels over the previous Retina displays for the new MacBook Pro.