More exciting MacBook updates are on the way
Expect a Pro Mode and more in 2020
The new 16in MacBook Pro and Mac Pro desktop are barely out of the gate and already people are speculating about what the future will bring.
The first thing to set the rumour mill turning is the presence of a so-called ‘Pro Mode’ in the latest Catalina beta (10.15.3). Chiefly intended for Apple’s newest Macs, Pro Mode would allow you to override fan speed limits and energy-saving restrictions to maximise performance. Code in the Catalina beta says: “Apps may run faster, but battery life may decrease and fan noise may increase.” Pro Mode is seen by Apple as a temporary option that will automatically disable the next day after being enabled, similar to how Do Not Disturb (DND) functions now.
While a Pro Mode might be an option for some lucky users, iOS developer Marco Arment has called for its opposite – a Low Power Mode for macOS. Apple currently has a Low Power Mode, of course, but only on iOS devices, even iPads don’t have the feature. Arment says Low Power Mode would be great for customers who regularly struggle to squeeze more out of their devices before having to plug them in. He currently uses a third-party app called Turbo Boost Switcher
Disabling turbo boost can increase battery life by 30-50%
Pro, that allows him to disable the Turbo Boost on his Mac’s processor. By doing so, he is able to increase the battery life of his 16in MacBook Pro by 30-50 percent.
13in MBP incoming?
Given that the 16in MacBook Pro now sports an improved design, better thermal management and a scissor-switch keyboard, rumours are rife that the 13in MBP is going to get the same treatment. It may not be a rumour much longer.
Apple has filed an unreleased Mac with the model identifier ‘A2289’ in the Eurasian Economic Commission database. Such filings are known for foreshadowing the release of Apple gear, from the AirPods to the iPhone 11 series. The 13in MacBook Pro is expected to bring similar changes to the 16in model, including a screen bump from 13in to 14in.
A lot less certain are rumours surrounding a touchscreen MacBook, based on a patent filing Apple submitted in January. In the US patent application on ‘Cross Device Interactions’, Apple details how a user could use two or more devices at the same time, with one of those screens being a touchscreen.
More intriguingly, the patent goes on to detail other input methods, arguing that “Current methods for interacting with content displayed on electronic devices are time-consuming, outdated and inefficient.” Instead, the patent mentions placing screens over the top of each other – an iPhone over the top of a MacBook display, say; using voice commands; touch inputs to show where a user is focusing; or even reacting to your gaze – so the device recognises what you’re looking at and responds accordingly.