Expect to see updated MacBook Pros at WWDC

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives is expecting overhauled 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros to be among Apple’s announcements for the usually software-focused WWDC. The company’s 2021 Worldwide Developers Conference is scheduled to kick off next week, with a keynote address on Monday.

A new MacBook Pro has been heavily rumored as of late. This would supersede the November 2020 upgrade which introduced the M1 chip. The updated laptops will supposedly be a pretty major rethink of the pro-grade Apple notebook. Among the changes will be a redesigned chassis, built-in SD card reader and HDMI port, MagSafe charger, and M2 chip. But no LED Touch Bar.

A previous Bloomberg report describing the new MacBook Pros noted that:

“Apple is planning two different chips, codenamed Jade C-Chop and Jade C-Die: both include eight high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores for a total of 10, but will be offered in either 16 or 32 graphics core variations.

The high-performance cores kick in for more complex jobs, while the energy-efficient cores operate at slower speeds for more basic needs like web browsing, preserving battery life. The new chips differ from the M1’s design, which has four high-performance cores, four energy-efficient cores and eight graphics cores in the current 13-inch MacBook Pro.”

More expectations for WWDC

Ives’ other expectations for WWDC include iOS 15 (which is a guarantee for the event). He thinks iOS 15 will “be very focused around new device privacy” protections. It will also include “various notifications/lock screen changes, and potentially a revamped iMessage” feature set. Ives thinks that privacy will be a main focus and theme of Tim Cook’s keynote. He says there will (again, as expected) be updates to macOS, watchOS, iPadOS, and tvOS.

In addition, he thinks that Apple will drop some “breadcrumbs” about future products. This includes the long-awaited Apple Glass headset, expected for summer 2022, and a possible Apple Car in 2024. Ives writes that Apple will have some news or partnership information available this summer. WWDC will help with “laying the groundwork” for some of this.

What are you hoping for from WWDC? Is there a particular announcement you’re looking forward to? And how happy do you think early M1 MacBook Pro customers will be at having their laptops superseded after just eight months? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.