iMac Pro 2017 News: Magic Keyboard to Feature Touch Bar Like MacBook Pro?
Apple is releasing the new iMac Pro later this year, but a delay in shipment for the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad has sparked rumors that a major upgrade is coming.
According to AppleInsider, the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad's shipment will take four to five weeks if ordered through the online Apple Store. This is significantly more than the usual time it takes for orders to be shipped. In fact, the Magic Keyboard without the keypad has an estimated delivery time of a few days or a few weeks.
The United States does not seem to be the only country affected by the delivery delay. The online Apple Stores for the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Germany, Japan, and Mexico also display the same four to five-week waiting period.
The delay in shipping time has given rise to the speculation that a major update may be coming to the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad. There is some belief that the Touch Bar, first seen on the MacBook Pro, could be integrated into the new keyboard. This seems to be supported by a patent Apple filed in April that describes a keyboard with a touch-enabled screen.
It should be noted that Apple has delayed products before when a new version or model is set to be introduced. However, since this Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad was just unveiled earlier this year at the Worldwide Developers Conference, it may be too early to make huge changes to the device. Regardless, fans are keeping their eyes peeled for any updates on a possible new keyboard.
The iMac Pro 2017 will have an 18 core Xeon central processing unit (CPU) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Radeon Vega Pro graphic processing units (GPU). It is expected to have up to 128 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM) and 10-gigabit Ethernet. A new Space Grey color with matching accessories will also be rolled out and was showcased earlier this year. Prices start at $5,000.
Apple has yet to announce a specific release date, though the company has said that it will be out before the year ends.