Slimmer 13-Inch and 15-Inch MacBook Pros Reportedly in Production

Digitimes now reports that Apple has already started production of slimmer models of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro. As the report claims, the MacBook Pro line will remain distinct from the MacBook Air line; of course, the first ones will remain more advanced, but will reportedly lose their optical drivers.

The MacBook Pro will no longer have an optical drive enabling thinner designs, the sources indicated. Despite the slim profile, the new devices will feature more advanced specs than the MacBook Air in terms of CPU performance and storage capacity, the sources said.

Production for the next-generation MacBook Pro has already begun with shipments to Apple kicking off in March, the sources noted. Monthly shipments will eventually climb to 900,000 units from the 100,000-150,000 units targeted initially, the sources said.

Different rumors regarding a slimmer form factor for the MacBook Pro have been circulating for roughly a year. Some even suggested that Apple might “kill” its MacBook Pro line by releasing a 15-inch "MacBook Air" in the near future being followed by a similar 17-inch model a few months later. The rumors, however, have been split on whether Apple's larger notebooks would become true MacBook Airs or if they would retain the MacBook Pro name and more advanced specs while still adopting some of the MacBook Air design features.