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Apple Announces October Event for Macs: 'Scary Fast'

If it was just M2 I think it would be a press release. Having an event reads M3. I'm mildly looking forward to what they reveal.
 
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Sigh. I just put an order in for a Mac Studio M2 Ultra, so you can thank me for the impending announcement of machine-obsoleting hardware. So, I guess my big question is: when will the M2 Ultra be replaced by an M3 variant? Might I only get a year out of this new machine? Should I just wait for the M3 Ultra which would a be significant update over my Mac Pro.
 
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theluggage said:
Sure but those are meaning-free words. "Fast" is a bit more specific, and nothing with an M2-family chip in it is going to be faster than the existing MBPs, Minis and Studios.

Possibly it could be some sort of over-clocked "M2-and-a-half"
Possibly it could be a 24" iMac with M2 ("well its faster than the old one")

...but I think both of those would fall under the "marketing flop" category (unless they're released alongside something sexier).

Possibly it could be the new large-screen iMac that some people have claimed is coming (personally, I think that's a myth & would be surprised, but no laws of physics would be harmed) - which I suppose could get a M2 Ultra - but I'd have thought in that case they'd have sold it on ths screen rather than the speed.
Click to expand...

Fast is eye of the beholder too. Turtle "fast" is much faster than Snail "fast." Put both on a track and let them "run" and Turtle might reach the finish 3X-5X faster than Snail... so that's "300%-500% faster." Selectively compare a new M2 iMac upgrade to an M1 iMac and it will be (shown as) FAST! Compare it to older iMacs and it will be (shown as even) FASTER!

I'll hope for M2.5 or even more so- M3- with people reading "fast" as chip speed ... but I struggle with how the beancounters would approve rolling out a Mac or two with M3... while leaving the rest of them M2, knowing that anyone with any knowledge of this topic would then at least consider deferring purchases until they can get the M3 version of the Mac they want. Once there is ONE M3, it's certain knowledge that more are "coming soon"... so WAIT on the purchases if you can. That's now how to maximize the most lucrative quarter's revenue... UNLESS Apple believe an M3 iMac will make up for all of the revenue & profit deferred by those waiting on buying the Mac they want.

And then there's the already-announced Vpro with M2. I do NOT see any scenario where M3 can hit now... be touted as "greatest ever", "fastest ever", "best ever" then fade that glimmer over the next few months... and then roll out the "ancient" M2 in the wonder product. I was already struggling with the idea that Vpro would be the LAST M2 launch ahead of new M3 launches in the Spring.

So if M3 now, then Vpro must be upgraded to M3 too. And if M3 now, I think the most popular Macs would need to go M3 too to maximize holiday revenue... which would be more than only an iMac or two. If so, where's the mountain of rumors about many Macs going M3 shortly. That's either an incredibly-well-kept secret from all of the supply chain snoops or expectations are inflating beyond reality. We'll see in a week.
 
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The most pressing questions are:
  1. Sizes larger than 24" for the iMac?
  2. iMac Pro?
  3. M3 chippery (this is mostly a given)
  4. USB-C on the Magic keyboard, mouse and trackpad? (the EU directive technically cover peripherals, so I wouldn't put it past Apple to pull a dickensian move here)
  5. M2 MBA/MBP refreshes?
And damn, that keynote is 10/31 at 1:00 AM in Germany ... haha :D

Exciting times nonetheless.
 
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This event was utterly out of the blue, it was predicted only yesterday by Gurman. If you look at Apple's other "out of nowhere" stuff (unrumored up until release), it is pretty abysmal:
  • AirPods Max (unrumored up until like the day of)
  • 2023 MacBook Pros (only 20% faster than M1, no real benefits, unrumored until the day of)
  • Apple Pencil USB-C (goofy, not really rumored specifically but there were some "Apple Pencil 3rd gen" rumors about a week before)
The list goes on.
If anything major is coming, it is either extremely well-hidden from leaks (leakers have been having a lot of misses recently, so it could be true), or really delayed (understandable with the supply limitations of the smaller process size of the M3 chip). Could be a combination of both, but you never know.
 
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It was some time ago Apple Had night events for us Europeans - ok, no problem.
Will be interesting to see what will really come, comparing to all rumors.

M3 MBA is a good guess.
 
Called scary fast, but “It is not clear if the refresh will focus on new M3-series chips”? that’s a good one! 🍸😹
 
These days I've gotten used to tapering my expectations for Apple events. Here's my bet:
1. One or two more devices getting the USB-C treatment
2. Optionally, 24-inch iMac upgraded to M2 if Tim Cook's in the mood (not M3. You wish)
 
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MayaUser said:
again,....they cannot do an event just for the M2 iMac.....because the macbooks are already with M2
M2 imac event that goes for 10 minutes?! get real :)))
Click to expand...

The event could be any amount of time, not automatically 2 hours.

There are several rumors of:
  • new iMac
  • new iPad Mini
  • new iPad
if iMac "bigger" might surprise, that could lead to a new ASD too to match the size. That's up to 5 "big" things to talk about right there. Give each 10-15 minutes and you likely have more than a 1-hour event.

Based on timing since last update, there are plausible expectations of:
  • new AirPods Max
  • maybe new AirPods Pro
  • HomePod mini (colors)?
There are obvious wants for Lightning accessories to go USB-C.

After the pushback on the new iPhone cases, maybe some newer, new iPhone cases that look like their manufacturing cost was more than about $3?

This latter batch of things could easily be ideal options to update for holiday gift giving.

So what's the "scary fast"? new iMac- even with M2- if compared in nice marketing charts & tables against the M1 version and the Intel versions. Selectively pick out where M2 excels (or maybe M2 PRO vs. M1 base exhibits) and then hammer home the line: "Now all of our Macs use our scary fast, latest & greatest technology: Order now!"

But I'll hope with everyone else that an avalanche of M3 is about to hit. Bring on the bigger leaps instead of the minor steps. If it's all ready and all sources of rumors have missed all the signs of it being ready, bring on major surprises against a backdrop of a completely information-secure supply chain for the first time ever.
 
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Now that I am thinking about it more and seeing they last updated the MacBook Air in July 2022. I am now thinking we see updates to all the base M3 products. Definitely M3 as they are having an event, not M2.

Remember:

M1 launched with the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini
M2 launched with MacBook Air, MacBook Pro (w/Touchbar)
M3 would launch with iMac, MacBook Pro (w/Touchbar) and possibly new MacBook Air. No Mac mini as it carries the Pro variant now. MacBook Air has always been updated with a new M processor.

Then we get a spring updates to MacBook Pro 14" and 16", Mac mini, then Mac Studio/Pro at WWDC.

Most Likely at this event:

M3 iMac
M3 MacBook Pro (w/TouchBar)
M3 MacBook Airs (The 13" is due for an upgrade since July 2022, would be weird if they just updated the 13", so 15" will be updated as well.)

Spring 2024

M3 Pro Mac Mini
M3 Pro/Max MacBook Pro 14" and 16"

WWDC 2024

M3 Max and Ultra Mac Studio
M3 Ultra Mac Pro
M3 Pro/Max iMac 30" (wildcard)
 
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