New leak claims 13-inch MacBook Pro will launch next month

Apple will release a new 13-inch MacBook Pro in May “if everything goes well”, according to new information leaked on social media earlier this week.

Jon Prosser said in a tweet that the new device with codename J223 is on course to arrive next month pending any late delays due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The release is an exciting one for fans of the MacBook line as the new 13-inch Pro is almost certain to feature the updated scissor-switch-style keyboard in place of the previous butterfly design.

Apple released a 16-inch MacBook Pro to critical acclaim late last year and rumours have pointed to the launch of 13-inch and 14-inch models before the end of the year.

Following the recent updates to the iPad Pro range, Apple is now moving on to the MacBook family.

Prosser noted that the 13-inch refresh would be slightly different from the MacBook Pro 16 but did not go into detail about what features the device could have.

However, analysts do expect the 13-inch version to be powered by the latest generation of Intel CPUs, which will be a significant improvement on the eighth-generation chips included in the previous model.

Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed last month that a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro with a Mini LED display at the top of the keyboard would launch sometime in 2020.

Prosser’s claims may not come to pass, but he did correctly predict back in February that Apple was on the verge of unveiling a new iPad Pro.

He also expects Apple to reveal the successor to the iPhone SE before the end of April.

Apple cancelled its spring hardware event due to the virus, so if new devices do arrive in Q2 2020, they are expected to be announced without any fanfare and with a simple press release.