Redesigned MacBook Pros on the way?

As if the impending iPhone 3G launch wasn't enough, Apple rumor sites are abuzz over purported spy shots of a redesigned MacBook Pro case—one that's tapered along the edges, a la the MacBook Air.

AppleInsider claims that the fuzzy photos in question (originally from a Chinese Web site; click here to view) have been confirmed by its sources as the new shell—or a prototype for one, at least—of an upcoming 15-inch MacBook Pro.

The redesigned shell supposedly features a narrow, removable panel along the bottom that would open to reveal the Pro's battery and hard drive, according to AppleInsider; whether the hard drive will be user-replaceable (in addition to the battery, which has always been removable in the MacBook/MacBook Pro lines) is a matter of debate. 

More importantly, the new shell will supposedly share the MacBook Air's tapered design, although it won't be nearly as thin and trim as the Air, AppleInsider reports. The site has previously speculated that the new Pros might also steal the Air's keypad, as well as some design elements of the aluminum iMacs from last August.

Naturally, there's been no comment from Apple, and it's worth noting that rumors of a redesigned MacBook Pro have been floating around for months, if not years.

Still, a revamp of the aluminum MacBook Pro line—which (barring a few nips and tucks) has looked essentially the same since 2003, an eternity in the tech world—is long overdue, and the Air's oh-so-sleek design could well point the way for future Pro laptops.

So, when would the (rumored) new MacBook Pros arrive? Maybe this fall, AppleInsider guesses, although I wouldn't take that to the bank quite yet.

Related:
Apple's next-gen MacBook Pro casing design revealed [AppleInsider]