According to AppleInsider, internal configuration files in Apple's latest operating system, Mountain Lion, suggest that the next editions of the Mac Pro and iMac desktop lines may not include built-in optical drives.
A plist file from Mountain Lion, reproduced below, shows Mac model versions that can support an optical boot disc or a USB flash drive volume capable of installing Windows to a Boot Camp partition.
Apple's Boot Camp Assistant uses the plist to find which Mac models support booting a legacy operating system from a USB flash drive, which is an important advantage for systems without an optical burner; most of the models in the list don't have optical drives.
Two of the models in the list haven't been released yet: the MP60 (the sixth-generation Mac Pro) and IM130 (13th-generation iMac).
Apple has been giving hints for a while that it wishes to move away from optical drives, enabling it to make its PCs slimmer and less fragile and power-hungry. Check out AppleInsider's article for further details of the discovery.
See also:
Contact Us
Digg
It's easy and free to get the latest news headlines, reviews and opinions straight to your email inbox. Sign up NOW to make sure you receive the latest Mac news, reviews and tutorials on your favourite topics.
Click here for the latest reader comments