What you need to know
- Stolen schematics have revealed potential details of the upcoming MacBook Pro.
- The schematics show that the new MacBook Pros may feature an HDMI and SD port as well as MagSafe.
- The document also shows that Apple may drop the Touch Bar.
Earlier today it was reported that Apple supplier Quanta was hit by a ransomware attack that resulted in the leak of some schematics of the unreleased MacBook Pro. The hacker group who pulled off the attack is demanding $50 million from Apple and threatening to release the schematics otherwise.
The operators of the REvil ransomware are demanding that Apple pay a ransom demand to avoid having confidential information leaked on the dark web.The REvil crew claims it came into possession of Apple product data after breaching Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that is the biggest laptop manufacturer in the world and which is also one of the companies that assemble official Apple products based on pre-supplied product designs and schematics.In a message posted on a dark web portal where the ransomware gang usually threatens victims and leaks their data, the REvil gang said that Quanta refused to pay to get its stolen data back and, as a result, the REvil operators have now decided to go after the company's primary customer instead.
It now appears that REvil has released some of the stolen documents and, while most have featured the already-announced iMac, at least one shows off potential details of the upcoming MacBook Pro refresh.
While we will not post images of the schematics due to them being stolen, we will provide details from 9to5Mac who reported on the documents. According to their report, the new MacBook Pros will feature all of the ports that people have missed for years, including an HDMI port, an SD card slot, and a triumphant return of MagSafe to the Mac. The schematics also show that Apple may ditch the Touch Bar for the upcoming MacBook Pro models.
On the right-hand side, the documents show an HDMI port, a USB-C port, and an SD card slot. On the left-hand side, the documents indicate that there will be a MagSafe connector, two USB-C ports, and a headphone jack. Notably, this means there will be one fewer USB-C port on the 2021 MacBook Pro than on the current model.The documents also show that the 2021 MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar, which again has been previously reported by sources such as Ming-Chi Kuo. There is still a Touch ID button on the right-hand side of the function row, similar to the current MacBook Air.
An earlier report from today expects Apple to release the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros later this year.
Of course, also keep in mind that these schematics have, as of the writing of this report, not been confirmed to be real by Quanta or Apple.
