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MacBook Pro 16-inch is here, but what about Apple's AR glasses?

Will Apple's AR glasses see the light of day in 2022?

Lexy Savvides Principal Video Producer
Lexy is an on-air presenter and award-winning producer who covers consumer tech, including the latest smartphones, wearables and emerging trends like assistive robotics. She's won two Gold Telly Awards for her video series Beta Test. Prior to her career at CNET, she was a magazine editor, radio announcer and DJ. Lexy is based in San Francisco.
Expertise Wearables, smartwatches, mobile phones, photography, health tech, assistive robotics Credentials
  • Webby Award honoree, 2x Gold Telly Award winner
Lexy Savvides
3 min read

There's a new MacBook Pro in town with a redesigned keyboard that should fix all the complaints about the butterfly keyboards of old. On this week's Apple Core roundup, we also get a clearer look at when to expect Apple's rumored AR/VR headset. And will the mystery of Apple Glasses finally see the light of day?

The 16-inch MacBook Pro says goodbye to the butterfly keyboard

Rumors swirled for months about a new 16-inch MacBook Pro, and this week Apple finally delivered. The new laptop has slimmer bezels for a bigger screen (though it's about the same size as the outgoing 15-inch MacBook Pro's), a TouchID sensor separated from the TouchBar, a physical escape key and a redesigned keyboard.

41-macbook-pro-16-inch
Sarah Tew/CNET

You can read more about the new 16-inch MacBook Pro and all the specs in our hands-on, plus an interview with Apple's Phil Schiller. (Spoiler alert: We won't be getting a touchscreen MacBook Pro anytime soon.)

The butterfly keyboard that Apple used on previous MacBook Pros over the past few years has been a pain point for many owners. The company did offer to fix keyboards on MacBook Pros that had issues with stuck or unresponsive keys.

Now, the new 16-inch laptop has a redesigned scissor-switch keyboard, called the Magic Keyboard , which has little rubber domes underneath the keys. They also have more travel, so the keys sit higher. Keys will also be removable, which should make repairs easier. 

Unfortunately, if you want the new keyboard, it's only on the 16-inch model for now. You won't see it on the 13-inch model yet, and the 15-inch MacBook Pro is going away -- so now might be a good time to pick up one at a better price before it disappears.

Apple's AR/VR headset and glasses are reportedly delayed

Another week, another round of rumors around Apple's AR glasses. Previously, we heard rumblings that Apple's long-awaited glasses and headset were due in 2020. Now that timeline looks less likely, and we won't see them until 2022 at the earliest, according to Bloomberg.

Although the timeline has been pushed out, it looks like Apple is building the foundations for the system with a new 3D sensor that we may see on the 2020 iPad Pro . A new dual-camera module on the tablet will also have a 3D sensor that will be able to reconstruct rooms or objects. It may be a more sophisticated version of the Face ID system on the current iPhone 11 .

On top of the new camera system, there have been other rumors about the iPad Pro having a mini-LED display.

Lastly, Apple may be ready to take the wraps off its AR/VR headset in 2021 or 2022, according to Bloomberg's sources. It will let you play games, watch videos and attend virtual meetings, similar to what you can do in headsets like the Oculus Quest . Apple's AR glasses will follow about a year later. They'll be lightweight, but we don't know for sure if they'll be powered by your phone or be standalone AR glasses.

Watch this: Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro: Is it for you?

Originally published last month.