The MacBook Pro was a no-show at WWDC, but it may still be coming soon

MacBook Pro Touch Bar
(Image credit: Apple)

If you were watching the WWDC 2021 keynote hoping for a brand new 16-inch MacBook Pro, you were probably left disappointed, as no new hardware was announced. However, that may have been a last minute decision. 

When uploading the keynote to YouTube, Apple included tags referencing the M1X and an M1X MacBook Pro, as spotted by 9To5Mac. This is admittedly very thin evidence, but it could point to Apple pulling a new MacBook Pro from the event at the last minute, which means it could still be on its way shortly. 

There were two tags Apple included that are the spotlight here, "M1X" and "M1X MacBook Pro", even though neither of those things were even mentioned during Apple's WWDC keynote. But, because there have been a lot of rumors pointing to a MacBook Pro sometime this summer, we could be seeing Apple's new laptop very soon. 

How long will we have to wait?

When it comes to the best Macs, Apple doesn't really have a strict rule with how it announces them. While the M1 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air got a huge event in November 2020, the more pro-oriented M1X MacBook Pro could very easily get announced completely under the radar with nothing more than a press release and a store update. 

After all, that's what happened in 2019 with the 15-inch MacBook Pro, so it wouldn't be unheard of. This is especially likely if, like the 13-inch MacBook Pro in November, the Apple-built silicon is the only real difference between the 2020 16-inch MacBook Pro and a new version of the laptop. 

Still, at the end of the day this is all just speculation, but if you've been waiting for a new high-power MacBook Pro, you should keep your eyes open: all signs are pointing to the MacBook Pro 2021 coming soon. 

Bill Thomas

Bill Thomas (Twitter) is TechRadar's computing editor. They are fat, queer and extremely online. Computers are the devil, but they just happen to be a satanist. If you need to know anything about computing components, PC gaming or the best laptop on the market, don't be afraid to drop them a line on Twitter or through email.