I thought it would be fun to go back through all the old laptop related news items on MacRumors.com to see which ones could be attributed to the MacBook Air and which could still be relating to a MacBook Pro. I'll start with the oldest rumors and work to the newer (and more accurate?) info.
7/16/07 https://www.macrumors.com/2007/07/16/apple-developing-backlit-trackpad/
No sign of this illuminated touchpad on the MBA. The MBP was the first to get an illuminated keyboard - would it be the first to get an illuminated touchpad if/when they give it the multitouch the MBA has? If this shows up, I think it will be on a later revision, not the next.
7/17/07 https://www.macrumors.com/2007/07/17/intels-upcoming-penryn-core-2-duo-processors/
The MBA did not get Penryn, it got a modified Merom with a new wrapper. Will the MBP be the first with a Penryn mobile processor? Given the update to SR to support Penryn, one would assume they will be used prior to Montevina in Q2 08.
8/9/07 https://www.macrumors.com/2007/08/09/wide-multitouch-touchpad-for-apple-laptops/
Sneaky Jobs! We now have the multi-touch MBA with a slightly larger touchpad. Will we see a wide touchpad on the next MBP? I don't think so. I think the multi-touch is the keeper from this patent application, and I think it's a gimme to be on the next MBP update.
9/20/08
Another generic MBP should be updated in Q1 08 post, right? Well, almost. All the info regarding Penryn in the MBP has been speculation on the side of Apple watching sites. But take a look at the link.. the original post linked to a MacRumors rumor roundup, which then linked to the 9to5mac page I've linked here. MacRumors noted how accurate 9to5mac had been on recent leaks, and here they out and out say updated MBP in January. That single line at the end of their article seems to have more weight than all the speculation I've seen elsewhere. Could they have been referring to the MBA? They hint at more info to come, which ended up being MBA leaks. Guess we'll see!
The MacBook lineup was updated to Santa Rosa in Nov07. Since then, the rumors have focused almost exclusively on the MBA, with the only mention of the MBP being "due for revision" rather than any specific reason. Based on all of the posts I've read dating back through July 07, I have to assume there will be an update to the MBP prior to the Montevina chipset. The only question is when... I don't think there's enough information to know. It could be as late as WWDC, where they were revised the week prior last year, or it could be as early as next week. That would be the last week in January for those assumed updates.
7/16/07 https://www.macrumors.com/2007/07/16/apple-developing-backlit-trackpad/
No sign of this illuminated touchpad on the MBA. The MBP was the first to get an illuminated keyboard - would it be the first to get an illuminated touchpad if/when they give it the multitouch the MBA has? If this shows up, I think it will be on a later revision, not the next.
7/17/07 https://www.macrumors.com/2007/07/17/intels-upcoming-penryn-core-2-duo-processors/
The MBA did not get Penryn, it got a modified Merom with a new wrapper. Will the MBP be the first with a Penryn mobile processor? Given the update to SR to support Penryn, one would assume they will be used prior to Montevina in Q2 08.
8/9/07 https://www.macrumors.com/2007/08/09/wide-multitouch-touchpad-for-apple-laptops/
Sneaky Jobs! We now have the multi-touch MBA with a slightly larger touchpad. Will we see a wide touchpad on the next MBP? I don't think so. I think the multi-touch is the keeper from this patent application, and I think it's a gimme to be on the next MBP update.
9/20/08
Another generic MBP should be updated in Q1 08 post, right? Well, almost. All the info regarding Penryn in the MBP has been speculation on the side of Apple watching sites. But take a look at the link.. the original post linked to a MacRumors rumor roundup, which then linked to the 9to5mac page I've linked here. MacRumors noted how accurate 9to5mac had been on recent leaks, and here they out and out say updated MBP in January. That single line at the end of their article seems to have more weight than all the speculation I've seen elsewhere. Could they have been referring to the MBA? They hint at more info to come, which ended up being MBA leaks. Guess we'll see!
The MacBook lineup was updated to Santa Rosa in Nov07. Since then, the rumors have focused almost exclusively on the MBA, with the only mention of the MBP being "due for revision" rather than any specific reason. Based on all of the posts I've read dating back through July 07, I have to assume there will be an update to the MBP prior to the Montevina chipset. The only question is when... I don't think there's enough information to know. It could be as late as WWDC, where they were revised the week prior last year, or it could be as early as next week. That would be the last week in January for those assumed updates.