New Macbook Pro unveiled by Apple, as it reveals release date, price and specs

New computer follows updated iPhone SE, iPad and MacBook Air

Apple has updated its MacBook Pro, with a new 13-inch version.

The computer now comes with twice the storage and faster performance, the company said.

It also includes its Magic Keyboard, which first arrived in the larger model at the end of this year and was intended to address widespread concerns about Apple’s laptop keyboards.

That new keyboard first arrived with the 16-inch version of the MacBook Pro, in November. It then came to the MacBook Air last month.

The introduction of the keyboard into Apple’s smaller Pro laptop means that the old, controversial “butterfly” keyboard is now fully removed from Apple’s line-up.

Otherwise, the computer keeps largely the same design at its larger sibling. It keeps the Touch Bar at the top of the keyboard that includes a smaller screen for shortcuts, as well as the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and the aluminium model.

But Apple has added a host of new upgrades on the inside, including double the storage of the previous generation, going up to 1TB, and new processors. The company now offers 16GB of memory as standard and up to 32GB, which was not available in any previous generations of 13-inch MacBook.

It costs £1,299, though Apple stressed it wil offer cheaper prices to those in education. It is available to order now and will begin arriving to customers later this week.

Apple has continued to release products through the coronavirus lockdown, despite its significant impact on its day-to-day operations. Over recent weeks, it has introduced a new iPhone SE – though rumours suggest that a larger model of the same phone could have been delayed – as well as updates to the MacBook Air and iPad Pro.