It is only fair to assume that Apple might just throw in a new MacBook (Pro) model any second now, since the company took the liberty to release a 4GB iPod nano model without saying a word to the fans.

According to this screen-shot, allegedly posted by mistake on T System's retail website, Apple is planning on offering up a new MacBook Pro packing a 2.6GHz Core 2 Duo processor, with a clear black frame around the screen (much like the aluminum iMac), priced at €1,797. According to 9to5 Mac, “these images depict a hitherto unknown MacBook model” which were published on German retailer T System's website “and then removed”. The same news source adds that Nvidia is expected to release an MCP7A IGP chip by the end of the month - “an updated Intel-platform integrated graphics chip that could well be scheduled for deployment in the new Macs”.

Apple's new MacBook line is said to be shipping already, as a Citigroup report reveals, depicting the new laptops as encased in aluminum, sporting LED backlit displays, and integrated Multi-Touch capabilities. According to the international financial conglomerate, “the first shipments of Apple's next-generation 13-inch MacBooks have left China ahead of a large-scale manufacturing ramp scheduled for later this month”.

In a "Company Flash" bulletin issued to clients on Monday, Rich Gardner, analyst at Citigroup, noted that "Field checks confirm that shipments of new MacBooks have begun, with a sharp production ramp planned for September and an introduction planned for early October". Citigroup's analyst added that "the most distinctive features of the new MacBook appear to be a very thin aluminum casing, an LED-backlit display and an aggressive entry-level price point." No word on a clear black frame around the screen, but that's an aspect that could easily slip Citigroup's detailing of hardware specs.

How close do you think we are to seeing a new MacBook model shipping?