MacBook Ultra: Apple's Planned Innovations
Apple has not changed its MacBook Pro design since 2021. With the upcoming Ultra, much could change – not just thanks to OLED and touchscreen.
MacBook Pro M5: Is Apple slimming down again with the Ultra?
(Image: Apple)
Slim, slimmer, MacBook: That was once Apple's motto. This changed with the MacBook Pro from the 2021 model year. Instead of further thinning the design, the manufacturer opted for more ports and a slightly thicker chassis with 14 and 16 inches for the M1 Max and M1 Pro generation. Since then, the design has been maintained in subsequent generations – up to the MacBook Pro M5 Max and M5 Pro released this spring. With the MacBook Ultra, planned for autumn (or at the latest spring), a new form factor is now expected, according to informed circles: Not only is an OLED display with touchscreen in a Mac planned for the first time, but also a reduced height for the first time. In addition, there are other innovations that are intended to boost Apple's business with professional notebooks.
Additional Touch Controls
The central new element is a screen made of organic light-emitting diodes. The screen is said to follow the design of the iPad Pro M4 and M5: a tandem OLED ensures high brightness with rich blacks. Allegedly, the aforementioned touch-sensitive screen, for which Apple is said to have made adjustments to macOS, will be integrated into a Mac for the first time. Operation by finger is an alternative input method for specific use cases, but apparently not the standard form of operation as on iPhone or iPad. The keyboard and (sufficiently large) trackpad will remain as usual. Nothing is known yet about operation via Apple Pencil.
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Instead of a notch, according to well-known rumor mongers like Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, there will no longer be a notch, but a Dynamic Island for the first time, i.e., a perforated screen area that contains the camera. It is still unclear whether Face ID facial recognition will be included in a Mac for the first time. It is considered likely that the Dynamic Island will also be used for notifications and other controls, as is known from the iPhone.
Fewer Ports, New Chips, and Hopefully a Modem
Inside the MacBook Ultra, the new M6 Pro and M6 Max SoCs are expected to work, manufactured using TSMC's new 2nm process. The usual performance and runtime improvements are to be expected, but the chips are unlikely to be revolutionary in speed. The thinner design of the MacBook Ultra could be achieved thanks to the use of OLED; what this means for the ports is unclear. Apple might omit HDMI again, as well as the SD card reader. Both would be rather undesirable, especially for business and creative users.
Finally, with the MacBook Ultra, Apple could fulfill a wish for people who are often on the go: the ability to go online with a Mac for the first time without an iPhone or hotspot. As with the iPhone or iPad, a 5G modem could be integrated directly. Apple also has its own all-in-one chips ready for this with the C1, C!X, and the upcoming C2.
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