MacBook Pro 2016 Rumors and Release Date: Apple Laptop Sales Significantly Dropped As Fans Waited For New Model to Come Out
Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has published its negative quarter sales report last month- the lowest since 2003- as sales figures of iPhone, iPad, and Mac all plummeted compared to last year's data. Even the MacBooks did not fare well as users wait for the arrival of the forthcoming notebook flagship that promises more power and better features.
As reported by research firm TrendForce, Apple sold around 2.53 million laptop units in this year's first quarter, a 40.4% quarterly drop from the previous year around the same time. In any given year, first quarter sales are usually a downtime for most laptop makers, sandwiched between the holiday season and the release of new products.
Even so, the news aren't too comforting for Apple. Even with sales figures for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro put together, the Q1 sales tally this year is still 870, 000 units less than last year's Q1 record of 3.4 million laptops sold, MacRumors reported.
It is not just Apple that has taken a severe beating from the global slump in PC and laptop sales. Overall, laptop shipments worldwide has seen a 7.3% decrease from last year's first quarter records. The market slowdown is just one part of the reason why Apple's notebook lineup has not fared well in recent years.
The company seems to be slacking off as it failed to introduce a major overhaul of its portable PCs in since 2010. The hardware refresh in the MacBook Pro line for example are more or less identical save for a few changes. For a long time, the company managed to get ahead of its competitors by successfully marketing high-priced laptops because the quality clearly puts them in the lead. As its rivals start to catch up, Apple may need to freshen up its tech arsenal and awe people with its next-big-thing surprises.
Meanwhile, loyal Apple fans are now gearing up for a major update to the tech giant's notebook line up for this year. Swirling rumors suggest that a firesale of 12-inch MacBook Pro 2015 is hitting a number of retail stores for as low as $964 according to Game N Guide. The lowest price ever recorded for last year's Apple laptop seems logical as the company paves the way for the arrival of its new flagship. Apart from the huge price markdown, the sale also comes with free USB adapter, an external DVD drive and a USB hub.
The upcoming MacBook Pro 2016 will reportedly arrive with a number of interesting upgrades such as sixth-generation Skylake processor, USB-C ports, Thunderbolt and touch-sensitive keyboard. Also, the new device will be running on OS X 10.12, renamed as MacOS. The latest flagship is slated to arrive in 13-inch and 15-inch screen variants for a much lesser price than its predecessors.
