Hold my beer...
I actually buy into this.
The current 13” models might stay as they are, an “in between” option/hybrid for the “I need a bit more than the Air offers, but not $1,799+ worth” crowd (of which I’d be a member).
And this is exactly where naming, marketing and all that comes in.
If they’re gonna keep the streamlined, fanless and wedge-shaped Air, and this latest rumor on the upcoming 14” and 16” MacBook Pro pans out, then, when that happens, they should immediately change the name of the existing M1 13” models ($1,299 and $1,499) to just...MacBook.
That one, simple little change immediately simplifies/clarifies everything, allows them to keep an affordable “middle ground” 13” notebook in its existing form (a fan, the 8-core graphics...all the things making it a bit more capable/robust than the $300-cheaper Air). But no longer saddled with the “pro” designation and coming across as slightly “less than”. Because even in the Intel days, those two models never matched the two pricier variants in anything but body design/color options.
Without changing anything other than the nameplate (and website/packaging wording), there’s their mid-range, default “just MacBook” model in the $1,299-1,499 (stock) range.
The new, different-looking - and differently-sized - Pro models would then occupy their own $1,799+ piece of the lineup, fully stand apart in power, ports, its own design, etc. No confusion about what "pro" means, and which models its attached to. If you want all that performance, and ports, then you're going to be forking over $1,799, minimum. But be sure you couldn't do with the $1,299 or $1,499 MacBook first. Many probably could.
I’d be all for that. Three distinct Apple notebooks - affordable and minimalist and balls-out pro performance/features...and a nice bridge between the two sitting right in the middle.
A three-tier lineup, each with its own design/look and naming.
I’m telling you: if that rumor pans out and new upper-end MacBook Pros get that level of redesign (with the extra ports, the beefier M1 variant, etc.) they’re crazy if they don’t do the above and quit calling those two lower-end models “Pro”.
MacBook Air ($999+),Macbook ($1,299+) and MacBook Pro ($1,799+).
The first two keep their current specs, design, pricing. The third is what such a machine with “pro” in its name should be.
Simple.
But, knowing Apple, they’ll keep the existing 13” models around and still call it MacBook Pro, just thoroughly confusing everyone for no good reason.
“Why are these two Macbook Pros different looking, fewer ports, a different processor, etc. than those brand new 14” and 16” models? They’re really kinda just a...I don’t know, Macbook?”
Yes, Virginia. They are.
Even now, it's confusing and a mess...two MacBook Pros with M1 guts at $1,299 and $1,499 which, for all I've read, run rings around the two Intel-based models still in the lineup for $1,799 and $1,999 (and even the 16" model, well into the $2,000's). Maybe they should've called these new M1-based models "MacBook" back in November upon release, to help pave the way for what I talk about above...everyone knows that a new M1-based true Pro would be coming at some point in 2021.
My idea above is the only way you can explain/recommend an Apple notebook to a casual person/newcomer without their heads exploding...you can't do that in the way it currently is, or in the way it's been for years. You just can't. Weird overlap, non-apparent differences, mismatched performance, names that don't mean anything, pricing that doesn't make full sense when you look at the benchmarks, etc.
But hopefully, soon, it's simply a matter of "okay, you've got three distinct tiers/models to choose from, and there's enough difference in design, performance and pricing to truly set all three lines apart, providing you with three clear options. Now you primarily write a blog, stream music and watch porn, so the top-end "pro" model definitely isn't needed, so let's immediately cross that off the list. That leaves us with the MacBook Air and the MacBook. Now, with that $999 Air you get...".
You'd have it figured out/decided in about four minutes: good, better and best, in the true meanings of the words. And priced/named accordingly. Beats the current situation all to hell.