Just three days before Apple's "Hello Again" event, where it is widely expected to announce new Macs, French website Consomac has discovered a new Russian-language regulatory filing, in the Eurasian Economic Commission database, that points towards at least three new models running macOS Sierra launching soon.
The three new Macs, identified only with model numbers A1706, A1707, A1708, are likely to be new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros alongside a new 13-inch MacBook, which could be a refreshed Air model, based on previous reports. However, adding confusion to the mix is the consecutive sequence of the model numbers.
The filing, published today, satisfies Russia's requirement for companies to register all products containing encryption and/or cryptographic tools.
Over the weekend, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes the highlight of Apple's event on Thursday will be a redesigned MacBook Pro in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, adopting an OLED touch bar and Touch ID sensor, USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, and the same butterfly keyboard design introduced on the MacBook in 2015.
The all-new MacBook Pro is also expected to have faster Intel Skylake processors and faster graphics, possibly including the option of AMD "Polaris" graphics on higher-end models. Kuo said Apple will offer a new option of 2TB SSD storage, while it or a third-party supplier will release a MagSafe-like USB-C charging adapter.
The new 13-inch MacBook, meanwhile, is likely to be a refreshed MacBook Air, which would align with other rumors claiming that only the 13-inch MacBook Air will be seeing an update with new USB-C ports. However, there is an outside chance the model could be a slightly larger version of the current 12-inch MacBook.
The loosely translated filing refers to the Macs as "portable personal computers," effectively ruling out the iMac and Mac Pro.
