Apple announced the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with its latest M3 series of chips. Apple's M3 chip has made it to the 14-inch MacBook Pro amid rumors of Apple upgrading the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It was previously reported that Apple could redesign the 13-inch MacBook Pro, giving it a modern look and feel similar to the MacBook Air lineup. However, reports claimed that Apple will launch the redesigned version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro next year. It appears that the company has discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro today.

Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro as it announced the new 14-inch and 16-inch models with an M3 chip

Apple's new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models look similar to the previous version, but the real difference rests on the inside. The new M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips are pretty powerful when it comes to computational as well as graphical tasks. Throughout the 'Scary Fast' event, Apple compared the new chips to the M1 series of chips. This is potentially because the new M3 chip features a minimum performance difference compared to the M2 chip.

This could be one of the reasons why the company has discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 chip. However, the company could introduce a redesigned version of the machine in the near future with an M3 chip, allowing Apple to cater to each segment of the market. Apple's 14-inch MacBook Air now costs $1,599, which makes more sense than a 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple's decision to discontinue the 13-inch MacBook Pro also marks the end of the Touch Bar. The Touch Bar was Apple's unique-selling element on the 13-inch MacBook Pro, similar to how the company offered 3D Touch with the iPhone 6S. While some users preferred the Touch Bar instead of a full-fledged functions row, others were not fans of the narrow OLED strip. With the introduction of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, the company moved away from the Touch Bar, but the 13-inch machine was the only device that carried it forward. Now, Apple has seen fit to ditch the technology for good.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 chips have significant performance gains. You can check out our detailed M3 chip announcement as well for more details on the processing capabilities. Since the M2 chip is quite capable, you will still be able to get your hands on the machine from third-party sellers.