20 May, 2017
Aside from that, the tech giant is also working on a new variant of the 12-inch MacBook with a much faster Intel chip.
Apple hasn't announced upgraded hardware at its June developers' conference since 2013, when it launched the Mac Pro and updated the MacBook Air.
A report this week suggested that Apple is gearing up to announce new MacBooks as soon as next month during its annual developer conference, known as WWDC.
One of the complaints about Apple's MacBook laptop is that the current processor is optimized for battery life, not for performance. The Intel Kaby Lake chipset was pretty scarce, supplies of which were erratic.
In addition to the new Macs this year, Apple will likely announce an upgraded version of the macOS operating system. It is now the cheapest MacBook-branded laptop at $999.
Bloomberg's source reportedly said these brands will generally be upgraded "with a faster Intel chip". Built on improved 14nm FinFET process, Kaby Lake features faster CPU clock speeds, clock speed changes, and higher Turbo frequencies. Bloomberg states that sales of the MacBook Air remain strong, despite the fact that Apple killed the 11-inch MacBook Air last October.
Intel delivered substantial performance/feature improvements in moving from its fifth-generation Core product line to its sixth-generation Core products, and it did so again when it moved from its sixth-generation Core to its seventh-generation Core products. Notably, MacBook Air has not been updated since March 2015.
Recently, retailer Best Buy had slashed the 13-inch MacBook Air price by $200. Additionally, Apple may - though Bloomberg was less confident on this - finally refresh the MacBook Air laptop, its thin-and-light machine that still offers some of the more traditional ports, like full-size USB and an SD card slot, which people still want.
When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen.
The MacBook Pro 2017 is not the only one coming out in the usually software-focused event. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
