Apple will reportedly equip new MacBook Pros with Touch ID fingerprint sensor

The MacBook Pro is due for a serious refresh and Apple is expected to deliver this fall.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple will reportedly add a Touch ID button to itsrevamped MacBook Pro notebook computers.

The report claims the Touch ID sensor will be embedded into the power button, which makes sense, but also doesn't make sense.

Embedding the fingerprint sensor in the power button would let users securely unlock their laptop with their fingerprints, but we're unsure how that would work for mobile payments. 

On iPhone and iPad, the Touch ID sensor is separate from the power button so there's never any confusion, and touching the sensor doesn't turn off the device.

If the Touch ID sensor is built into the power button on the new MacBook Pro, how will the computer know you're authenticating a payment and not trying to power it off? We're sure Apple has already thought about that.

It's possible the Touch ID sensor will not work with mobile payments, but that wouldn't add up. The next version of Apple's desktop operating system, MacOS Sierra, will allow for web payments using Apple Pay and Touch ID authentication via iPhone.

Not including the ability to pay for things via Touch ID and Apple Pay on the new MacBook Pros would be a huge missed opportunity.

The new MacBook Pros are expected to be thinner, lighter and ditch many of its ports for USB Type-C, the reversible do-it-all port that can handle power, data and video output.

It's also rumored the new MacBook Pros will come with an OLED display panel that'll replace the top row of function keys. This strip could potentially adapt when different apps are open and could display notifications.