Apple’s 16-Inch MacBook Pro Confirmed To Have Touch Bar, Touch ID Key?

Apple's upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro is believed to have a separate Touch ID key and physical escape key, according to a new report.

A image found in the release version of macOS 10.15.1 shows how the new device will look like and reveals one of its new features. The image, found by 9To5Mac, showed that the upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro will have a power/Touch ID key separated from the Touch Bar.

The report noted that the image confirms previous reports saying the new device will have a physical escape key as opposed to what older models had. Interestingly, the detail in the image looks similar to an illustration included in a design patent Apple filed for a new MacBook Air model. The patent was filed to, and published by, the Hong Kong Patent Office.

Not much is known about Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro save for the aforementioned Touch ID key as well as a few details revealed by various reports.

First, the upcoming MacBook Pro model is said to feature a 16-inch display inside a casing the same size as that of the older 15-inch MacBook Pro. The display will have the same pixel density as that of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro, which is 227 pixels per inch.

Second, the highly-anticipated 16-incher will also be the first MacBook Pro model to sport Apple's new keyboard. The new keyboard will replace the problematic butterfly keyboard and will use a scissor mechanism instead. It will be made using glass fiber, and is expected to be more durable and provide longer travel compared to the infamous keyboard Apple released in recent years.

Third, a report from the supply chain said the upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro will have either Coffee Lake or Ice Lake chips from Intel. It added that Apple partner Quanta is already assembling the devices.

The new 16-inch device, which is expected to fetch a selling price at about $3,000, willreplace the older 15-inch MacBook Pro model. IHS Markit's Jeff Lin previously said “I am pretty sure that MacBook 15.4” will be EOL [End-of-Life].”

Apple hasn't announced anything about the device yet. 9To5Mac noted that the removal of an icon that was discovered last week indicated that the 16-incher won't be released in October. Nevertheless, it's interesting to see another image this week.