Apple Updates Retina MacBook Pro with New Processors, Drops Pricing on 13-Inch Models and High-End MacBook Air
Feb 13, 2013 5:49 am PST by Eric Slivka
Apple today announced that it has updated its Retina MacBook Pro lineup with new processors, also moving to lower pricing across the board on the 13-inch models.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now starts at $1,499 for 128GB of flash, and $1,699 for a new 2.6 GHz processor and 256GB of flash. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now features a faster 2.4 GHz quad-core processor, and the top-of-the-line 15-inch notebook comes with a new 2.7 GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of memory.
The new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro prices are $200 and $300 cheaper than their predecessor models, respectively.

In addition to the Retina MacBook Pro updates, Apple has also lowered the price of the 256 GB 13-inch MacBook Air by $100, now starting at $1399.

Update: Apple has also eliminated the high-end stock configuration of the non-Retina 15-inch MacBook Pro, leaving only the base model starting at $1799. Customers can still configure the low-end model with all available options, meaning that the previous high-end configuration is still available, but it is no longer being promoted separately as a stock machine.

If the last two years are anything to go by, Apple is not far from announcing the next version of its desktop operating system, OS X 10.9. A new rumor provides some details on what may included in 10.9, which is expected to be announced at WWDC this June. The new version will include an major update to Finder, according to 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, who has a good track record. Few details are provided, but the new version of the file explorer is said to have tabs, allowing users to switch between multiple folders without opening multiple Finder windows. The application is also set to receive a tagging ability, which isn't detailed in the rumor. Finder has long been a complaint for OS X users — programs that replace the outdated application are popular among the developer community.

The rumor also notes that OS X 10.9, which is internally codenamed "Cabernet," will include a new version of Safari with a focus on speed and efficiency. Like Mountain Lion before it, 10.9 will reportedly borrow features from iOS: a new multitasking feature inspired by the mobile operating system may be included, and background apps may be paused similarly to how they are on iPhones and iPads. One last improvement is a tweak to Mission Control for multiple-monitor setups. With 10.9, users may be able to put full-screen apps on external monitors and even control Spaces independently. The last major rumor we heard about OS X 10.9 said that the operating system would receive Siri and Maps from iOS, but 9to5Mac is now saying those features may not be present.