Rumor: Apple to redesign MacBook Pro laptops to resemble MacBook Air

Between the success of the MacBook Air and the subsequent response from PC laptop makers to ape the Air's aesthetic (a.k.a. the Intel Ultrabook platform), it should come as no surprise that the latest Cupertino rumor is that Apple will be updating its MacBook Pro notebooks to be more Air-like.

According to Apple Insider, the new MacBook Pros will do away with hard drives in favor of solid-state drives, as well as eschewing optical drives as digital downloading of software becomes mainstream. It also promises better battery life and the same "instant-on" capabilities as the Air. Needless to say, the new laptops will feature a sleeker design.

Some of the improvements will owe to Intel's new Ivy Bridge mobile processors, which should power the new MacBook Pros. Because those chips aren't expected for a few more months, don't expect an imminent release, which supposedly will start with 15-inch models and then move on to a 17-inch version. Apple Insider speculates that the current 13-inch MacBook Pro may give way to a 13-inch version of the Air with more powerful specs.

It will be interesting to see if the SSD capacity will be sufficient for the power users who gravitate towards MacBook Pros. Apple Insider says Thunderbolt will be heavily pushed, so you may be relying on external (if speedy) drives for additional storage if you need it.

How do you think Apple should change the MacBook Pro? Let us know your thoughts in the Talkback section.