‘Thunderbolt’ MacBook Pros Emerge in Purported Leaked Pictures

Images purporting to depict a next-generation MacBook Pro bearing a ‘Thunderbolt’ (Light Peak) connector and a built-in SDXC card reader have surfaced, as rumors of a refreshed MacBook Pro line are reaching critical levels.

Via Engadget, fscklog, and Mac4Ever comes word that Apple’s new range of notebooks will reportedly employ Intel’s Light Peak technology under the name ‘Thunderbolt’.

Specifically, a ‘leaked’ specs sheet indicates the finding, while a purported picture of Apple’s alleged new MacBook Pro shows the port in question (above).

The Thunderbolt port is marked by (what else?) a lightning bolt.

Though we agree with Engadget that the image could have been easily doctored, it does seem quite legit from where we’re standing.

The purported Thunderbolt port also looks strikingly similar to Apple’s own Mini DisplayPort, currently present on most Macintosh computers - both laptops and desktop systems, as well as Mac Pro workstations.

Perhaps our conviction that the pictures speak the truth comes from a third leak which looks like your typical Apple promo material (third picture down), complete with a modified iTunes / App Store icon struck by lightning, perhaps indicating faster downloads, not just for apps, but for movies and music as well.

The images also suggest Apple has included an SDXC card reader.

A discrete GPU chip is nowhere to be found on the leaked specs sheet, suggesting that new MacBook Pros are to rely only on the new Core i5 integrated graphics from Intel.

A fourth picture aims to depict the rumored larger glass trackpad. Leaked by Mac4Ever, appears just as legit, or non legit, as the others.

An Apple event is expected to go live next week with the main focus being the next-generation iPad 2.

A MacBook refresh and perhaps other notable updates could well fill up the time it takes to deliver another iconic Apple keynote next week.