Apple to launch new 16-inch MacBook Pro in October

Start saving now - the new 16-inch MacBook Pros will cost around £2,900

Apple is to launch new 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops in October, but the new devices will cost £2,900 or more, including VAT. The new laptops will provide a replacement for the 17-inch MacBook Pros that were discontinued in 2012.

That's according Taiwan's United Daily News, which claims that the devices will start at $3,000 in the US, equating to the price of £2,900 at current exchange rates.

The new device, though, should sport a ninth or tenth generation Intel Core processor, although it is unclear exactly what models Apple is planning to power it with.

It will also have at least 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD - although buyers spending £3,000 or more would no doubt expect considerably better basic specs than these in view of the crash in memory chip prices and the continuing fall in SSD prices.

Eight gigabytes of standard 3000MHz memory, for example, now costs less than £30, while standard 240GB SSDs cost just £25 retail these days.

The display, meanwhile, will be provided by LG and will offer a resolution of 3,072x1,920, an upgrade compared to the 15in Pro's 2,880x1,800 panel.

The laptop might also be one of the first to debut Apple's rumoured 'scissor-switch' keyboard, which is expected to replace the Butterfly mechanism that has been the source of a number of complaints. However, it may still be too early for that switch, with noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggesting that these won't be ready before 2020.

At the same time, Apple is also expected to refresh its 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models at the same October launch event. However, there are no further details available about these.

The MacBook Pro event will come a month after Apple's anticipated launch of three new iPhone models in September. The launches will coincide with the departure of Apple design guru Jony Ive.