We know the new MacBook Pro range is right around the corner, but recent news via Macrumors has indicated that with this new model we may see the extinction of their biggest 17 inch notebook. Research analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts as we already believe that new MacBook Pro range will be a lot thinner like the MacBook Air but with a much greater processor power than we get from the Air.
Kuo predicts this larger model will be dropped in order to streamline the company’s growing Mac range.

Apple’s Mac business in 2Q12 will be boosted by several factors. Three of which are: (1) Mountain Lion, which integrates iOS features with Mac OS, Apple TV’s interaction function, will be launched in June; (2) upgrading to Ivy Bridge; and (3) back-to-school demand. We forecast Apple will sell 5.32mn units of the Mac series (up 28.5% QoQ and 35.2% YoY) in 2Q12, making it the main growth driver.

We also predict Apple will roll out a fully new MacBook model in early 3Q12, boasting strong performance and easy carryability by combining the advantages of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

While adding new products, Apple is likely to stop making the 17” MacBook Pro this year due to falling shipments, in order to maintain a lean product line strategy.

This rumour doesn’t seem all too far fetched. With the market growing the way it is, people are swaying a lot more towards smaller devices for their portable browsing, such as iPads and smaller MacBook Pro’s and Air’s, with using their desktop for more intensive computing. This means the market for a huge laptop is not as needed as it was.

Furthermore all of the previous rumours on the upgrade indicate the same thing. Reports have told us supply is already ramping down in preparation for a 2012 15 inch MacBook Pro, which will supposedly come first. We have also been told that due to needing a lot higher volumes, the new 13 inch MacBook Pro will come slightly later, both insider reports giving us absolutely no mention of a new 17 inch model.

What do you think? With the huge advances being made in extremly portable devices such as iPad’s and super thin notebooks I think it’s only a matter of time before these much larger notebooks need to be retired, and leave the portable computing to the new guys and big computing to desktops.