5The FCC just signed off on an Apple laptop that hasn’t been announced yet. This could be the 16-inch MacBook Pro that’s been the subject of recent rumors. Or it might be just a speed-bumbled version of an earlier model.
FCC approval means it’s real
The Federal Communication Commission documentation doesn’t reveal much about this device. It will definitely have the product number A2159, and it’s an “Apple Inc. Laptop computer.”
The FCC had to approve this device before it could be released in the US because it uses Wi-Fi. Normally, such approvals are announced on the same day Apple unveils its products but someone seems to have pulled the trigger early. The documentation has since been removed from the government agency’s website.
If “A2159” seems familiar it’s because this same device appeared on a list alongside six other unannounced Apple laptops.
When any of these will actually hit store shelves is unknown. That said, Apple frequently introduces new MacBook models in mid summer. Last year, the announcement came July 12, for example.
Perhaps the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro
Recently, analysts predicted that a 16-inch MacBook Pro is in the offing. This would give it the largest screen size of any MacBook Pro model currently available.
The new laptop will supposedly boast an LCD with a 3,072 by 1,920 resolution. That’s an increase on the 2,880 by 1,800 screen in the current 15-inch MacBook Pro devices.
However, the analysts at IHS Markit said this laptop wouldn’t be out until this fall.
Or maybe a 13-inch MacBook
There’s a less exciting possibility. The FCC documentation indicates that this computer uses 20.3V – 3A Max, the same as the 13-inch MacBook Pro. This spring, Apple introduced speed-bumped versions of various MacBook models but the 13-inch version without a Touch Bar wasn’t included.
So the A2159 could be just an improved 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar.
