14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has decided to abandon the 2015 version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, as it switches focus to the new generation announced earlier this week at WWDC.
The 2015 version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro was a direct competitor to Microsoft's own Surface Book, which was also launched in 2015 and comes with a 13.5-inch screen. As compared to Apple, however, Microsoft hasn't yet announced a new-generation Surface Book, and the original model is still being supported, with no plans to be discontinued whatsoever.
As far as the MacBook is concerned, the 13-inch model released in 2015 was the preferred choice for many customers, even after the debut of the latest generation, especially because of the connectivity options that it offered. Instead of just one USB Type-C port, the 2015 model boasted USB Type-A ports and even a microSD card port for easy file transfer. On the new generation, buying a dongle is the only way to go, given that the focus is exclusively on USB-C.
Most affordable model now just $1,299
And speaking of the new model, refreshed configurations were announced earlier this week at WWDC and include Kaby Lake processors and other subtle hardware upgrades that are supposed to bring the MacBooks in line with their rivals running Windows.
Pricing has also been updated, so the most affordable 13-inch MacBook Pro now costs $1,299, though it’s worth mentioning that this configuration does not include a Touch Bar, but only the classic function keys. If you want to go for the more modern Touch Bar version, pricing in this case starts at $1,799.
As for the race against Microsoft, Apple still doesn't seem to be interested in touchscreens, as no devices focused on productivity beside the iPad Pro come with such capabilities. Microsoft, on the other hand, is betting big on this type of display and is offering it on absolutely all products that are part of the Surface series, including the recently launched Surface Laptop.
