Slimmer, Air-like MacBook Pros in production

The next MacBook Pro, Apple’s premium line of laptops, will allegedly feature a slimmer unibody design for the 13- and 15-inch models.

The two thinner models are said to have gone into production, according to a report from Digitimes, a Chinese tech blog that has previously broken news about Apple products prior to an official announcement. In addition to the slimmer size, the new MacBook Pros are also reportedly dropping their optical drive support.

If true, the news would confirm that Apple is trying to unify its line of laptops by making them all more similar to its ultra-thin MacBook Air.

It’s worth noting that there are some benefits to dropping older, bulky hardware on the current MacBook Pros, as VentureBeat’s Devindra Hardawar previously reported. Specifically, it would allow Apple to bring the quick boot and instant-on capabilities of the MacBook Air to its wider notebook lineup, and it would also significantly improve battery life. It could also help Apple gain an advantage over Intel and the many Ultrabook manufacturers trying to mimic the MacBook Air design.

The elimination of space as well as the lack of optical drive would mean that both the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros wouldn’t necessarily be considered as “work-horse” production machines. That said, consumers who need a more powerful laptop can always upgrade to the 17-inch MacBook Pro model, which likely won’t get the ultra-thin treatment.