The above image, along with two more images popped up in our inbox just now, showing what appears to be the next unibody MacBook Pro. The tipster managed to allegedly track down these images on Apple’s website using a script, and grab the files before they disappeared again. The differences are subtle, so pay super close attention to the arrow keys. The new “version” is clearly showing off Lion as well, and quite immaculately, should this turn out to be fake.

We can’t vouch for the veracity of the images, but we do have to say that the images look mighty legitimate, especially when compared to the images currently on Apple’s website. How can you tell the current MacBook Pro from the images attached above? Well, just above the arrow keys there are home and end buttons on the “new” version. Also, the buttons don’t look like a quick copy and paste job. Instead the lighting and pixels are quite different from button to button.

Super Close-up

I have to say, one of the biggest things that annoyed me after making the switch a couple of years ago was the lack of Home and End keys on the keyboard, as well as the lack of a forward moving delete button. If this turns out to be true — and again that’s a big if — it could solve a couple of immediate problems that switchers may notice. If Lion is about cashing in on the halo effect from iOS, then we may see some changes to the hardware that makes the switch just a little bit easier for those coming from the beige box world.

Again, speculation, but take it or what it’s worth. We should also point out that you can use a keyboard shortcut to replicate the “home” and “end” buttons currently on the Mac. Hitting the CMD key and the left arrow at the same time acts like a home button; whereas the CMD key and the right arrow at the same time acts like the end key.

We’ll let you know if we get a cease and desist from Apple …

Note: We don’t normally do this kind of stuff, so we’re treading lightly here, but we thought this image was interesting enough to pass on no matter what the legitimacy of the image may be, so take it for what it’s worth.

Hat Tip to Jon Levi for sending this in