Apple finally phases out its oldest MacBook Pro

Apple is apparently phasing out the old 13-inch MacBook Pro without Retina Display from its shops over in the US, most likely preparing the ground for the refreshed model to hit shelves later this year.

This is according to Apple Insider, which received a tip from an unnamed source who said that while the old 13-inch MacBook Pro was still in stock across the majority of Apple stores, outlets were no longer putting the device on display for punters to try out.

The tech website confirmed this by checking with several Apple stores, and one staff member they spoke to in Austin said they had pulled the non-Retina MacBook Pros from the shop floor last week, and that others were doing the same thing.

Of course, the non-Retina model is looking pretty long in the tooth now anyway, although it does have one obvious attraction – it's the cheapest MacBook Pro you can get your hands on at £899 ($1,099 in the US, which is around AU$1,470).

That said, the base model 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina starts at £999 ($1,299 in the US, which is around AU$1,730), so isn't a huge amount more, and not only do you get the higher resolution screen, but there's also double the RAM, flash storage rather than a traditional spinning disk, a newer Core i5 CPU with integrated Iris graphics and many more benefits.

That said, aside from the price, the old model does have some benefits which some folks still appreciate including an optical disc drive and an upgrade-friendly nature.

In with the new…

At any rate, hopefully this is a concrete sign that things are definitely moving in terms of the incoming MacBook Pro refresh which is supposed to incorporate some sizeable changes, including an OLED touchpad in place of the normal top row of function keys (allowing you to customize the keys to the specific app you're using).

The new laptop will reportedly run with four USB-C ports, and will be slimmer and lighter, with a metal injection molded hinge helping keep the chassis svelte. The machine will also allegedly benefit from Apple's new butterfly key switches (as previously used in the 12-inch MacBook).

The refreshed MacBook Pro is expected to arrive in the last quarter of this year, but there's a chance it could pitch up sooner – for the full details and latest from the Apple laptop grapevine have a look at our MacBook Pro 2016 release date and rumor round-up.

• Also check out our best cheap MacBook deals in June 2016