Apple news website 9to5Mac have it on good authority that an updated 17″ MacBook Pro sporting a Unibody shell will make an appearance at Macworld. Indeed they go on to speculate that Apple will fitting the new model with an internal, non-removable battery pack that promises vastly superior running time compared with the 13″ and 15″ models.

If this is true it will be the second laptop Apple have offered with a non-removable battery, the MacBook Air already sports an internal battery, much like the design of the iPod’s and iPhone’s. Whether this is a good idea remains to be seen. Any laptop owner will tell you, batteries don’t last a very long time. From experience alone I’d say batteries in Apple’s previous range of laptops will start detriorating after hitting 200 charging cycles. Do Apple have a new battery technology ready to set free?

Current MacBook Pro 17"