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2015 MacBooks with Touch ID: Will We See It?

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Apple has updated its MacBook lineup for 2014, which means that we can now look forward to what the company could offer up next year when it comes to MacBook improvements and few features. Will Touch ID be one of them?

The 2014 MacBook Air was launched earlier this year back in June, coming with a slightly modest upgrade, with the usual 1.3GHz Intel Core i5 now clocked at 1.4GHz. Memory and storage has stayed the same, though, keeping the 4GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage as the standard. However, the new model has received a $100 cut off of its typical price, now starting at only $899.

This is also means that you can get the larger 13-inch entry level MacBook Air for $999. This model comes with the faster 1.4GHz Core i5 processor as well, along with the standard 4GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage.

As for the 2014 MacBook Pro, the processors saw a slight increase in speed, with the entry-level 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 now boosted to 2.6GHz. However, the machines come with double the memory as a standard option, with the entry-level MacBook Pros now sporting 8GB of RAM instead of only 4GB.

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More specifically, the entry-level 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro now comes with a 2.6GHz Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage for $1,299. This is the same price that it was before, so technically while it’s the same price, it’s a slightly better deal in the long run as you get more for your money.

As for the 15-inch MacBook Pro, the entry-level version now comes with a 2.2GHz Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of flash storage. This also stays at the same price of $1,999. However, the upper-tier model has received a price drop of $100 and is now priced at $2,499 instead of $2,599.

What Will 2015 Bring?

While we’ve still got a couple of months before 2015 officially rolls around, we’ve already been treated to a handful of new MacBook rumors, specifically about a new 12-inch MacBook that we could see at some point next year.

It’s rumored that Apple has been busy testing out these new chips and will hopefully put them in its rumored 12-inch MacBook Air that is expected to launch next year.

These new Broadwell Core M processors are designed to run at a ridiculously-low 4.5 watts, which if you don’t know a lot about how much power processors use, 4.5 watts is just crazy low. Thus, these new chips are destined for the next-generation fanless MacBook Air.

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Likewise, these new chips run at lower frequencies, which means they’re a little slower than what most mid-tier processors run at, but the trade-off is way better battery life.

Of course, the possible release timeline of Apple’s rumored 12-inch MacBook Air remains a mystery, but most rumors have suggested an early 2015 release window, which would make perfect sense, seeing as Apple has launched new MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs early in the year in the past.

Is Touch ID a Possibility?

With Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor now clearly a staple in the iOS device lineup, will we ever see that same technology make its way into MacBooks?

Touch ID was definitely one of the features that users were looking forward to ahead of the iPad Air event last year in October, especially after it was introduced on the new iPhone 5s just a month earlier, but Apple sadly did not deliver such a feature just yet.

Touch-ID

Technically, we weren’t too surprised about this, as it’s possible that Apple wanted the Touch ID technology to be around for a year or so and see how it did before expanding the feature to other iOS devices, but now that both the iPhone and iPad have Touch ID, it’s turned into quite the popular feature.

One of the biggest reasons that the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is so popular on the iPhone 5s is because of the convenience it offers when unlocking your device and purchasing apps in the iTunes App Store. It’s a lot quicker and easier than entering in your passcode every time, as well as typing in your confusing Apple ID password whenever you want to buy an app.

It’s highly unlikely that we’ll see MacBooks gain this feature anytime soon, as Touch ID is seem mainly as a mobile feature that makes it easier to unlock your device, but never say never. There have been laptop makers who have integrated fingerprint sensors into their laptops, so it’s certainly not a far-fetched idea by any means, but we’re wondering if Apple thinks it’s a feature that really isn’t needed on a MacBook just yet.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. dancer

    11/12/2014 at 1:53 pm

    I hope by 2015, many computer makers start offering something similar to apple touch ID on their laptops and desktops. Mouse should be replaced with trackpad with touch id sensor.

  2. jo

    11/14/2014 at 10:51 am

    i think they will put the touch id.. its a logical step, iphone, now ipad and finally mac

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