Skip to main content

Apple may not wait for WWDC to update 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac

A man using the 2015 MacBook Pro 13-inch.
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
If you’re planning on buying some new Apple hardware this week, it might be worth waiting a few days longer. Rumors are circulating that the company is planning to update their 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac lines sooner rather than later.

The news is being traced back to an anonymous source with a good track record, according to a report by MacRumors. Earlier this year, the 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated with a number of upgrades under the hood and the new Force Touch trackpad, all of which the site speculates will also reach the 15-inch model. It’s less clear what sort of updates might be in the works for the iMac.

Recommended Videos

The site’s source is backed up by the fact that shipping estimates on Apple’s online store have been slipping for both products. This typically indicates a lack of stock, which can be attributed to the company selling through their remaining units ahead of the new product being released to the public. Similar stock issues have occurred previous to the release of other refreshed models, such as the latest MacBook Air and Pro 13 with Retina.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

It might seem strange for Apple to debut new products so close to WWDC 2015 in June, but it’s likely that the event will focus on software rather than hardware — with the possible exception being a new version of the Apple TV. A relatively low-key release of these updated devices would ensure that iOS and OS X can be the focus at WWDC.

May 20 is apparently the date on which the new 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac will become available. However, with no official word from Apple as of the time of writing, this should still be considered a rumor. Still, we should know by Wednesday whether it was legitimate or not — and if the latter turns out to be the case, WWDC might well be the location for some new Apple hardware.

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
Apple hid one of the best features of the M4 MacBook Pro
Someone using a MacBook Pro M4.

Apple's new M4 MacBook Pro is great. It earned a rare Editors' Choice badge in our M4 MacBook Pro review, and it's cemented itself as one of the best laptops you can buy. Even with so much going for it, Apple hid one of the most exciting developments it made with its new range of laptops -- the use of quantum dot technology.

Like the last few generations of MacBook Pro displays, the M4 range is using a mini-LED backlight. There's no tandem OLED like we saw on the iPad Pro earlier this year. However, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), Apple added a layer of quantum dots to the M4 MacBook Pro. This, according to the display expert, offers better color gamut and motion performance compared to the solution Apple previously used.

Read more
MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: how to easily decide which to buy
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk with its lid closed.

When it comes to picking the best MacBook for you, the eternal debate between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro rages on. Both laptops are at the top of their game right now, and that can sometimes make the decision between the two even trickier, especially when you consider the timing.

Choosing between options as extreme as the 16-inch MacBook M4 Pro and an M1 MacBook Air isn't where the problems lie. It's probably obvious which of those is right for you based on the thousands of dollars separating the two.

Read more
Apple faces challenges with bringing OLED to the MacBook Air
The MacBook Air on a white table.

A report from Korean outlet The Elec suggests the OLED MacBook Air that Apple was allegedly planning to release in 2027 could face significant delays. While progress for the OLED MacBook Pro seems to be going smoothly, the price increase caused by the new display technology is a much bigger problem for the budget MacBook Air models.

One of the biggest selling points of the MacBook Air is its lower price, making it great for first-time Mac buyers, students, and anyone else who doesn't expressly need the power of a Pro. While price increases are a natural part of the tech industry, the slightly disappointing sales of the 2024 OLED iPad Pro suggest that a new display simply isn't enough of an incentive for consumers to justify a higher price tag.

Read more