Apple Didn't Release Any New Macs This Quarter for First Time Since 2000

[MacRumors]

The fourth quarter of 2022 this week becomes the first with no new Mac models in 22 years as previously anticipated devices like the next-generation MacBook Pro and Mac Pro models have apparently been pushed out to 2023.

Historically, Apple released at least one new Mac model every year in the fourth quarter that runs between October and December, starting in 2001 with the launch of the iBook G3. This means that there has been a new Mac toward the end of the year for the entire lifespan of product lines including the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The last Mac that Apple released is the M2 MacBook Air, which launched on July 15. Depending on how long Apple waits to launch its next Mac, the time following the launch of the MacBook Air could be among the longest periods with no new Mac models at all.

While it was widely rumored that new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models would emerge before the end of the year, a time frame seemingly supported by some mass production forecasts, as 2022 draws to a close, it is now almost certain that these devices have been substantially delayed. The MacBook Pro delay first became apparent when Korean blogger "yeux1122" cited a supply chain source saying that the updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will not launch until around March next year. The picture became clearer when Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in October that the next wave of Mac releases will now take place in the first quarter of 2023, including updated versions of the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and Mac Pro.

Overall, this constitutes a delay of up to six months over what was originally expected for the next-generation MacBook Pro models. Gurman expects the next MacBook Pros to have few other upgrades beyond the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, but high-bandwidth memory and ports with newer specifications seem plausible.

The Mac Pro is another device that was once strongly believed to launch before the end of the year, not least because this would have aligned to Apple's wish to transition the entire Mac lineup to Apple silicon within two years. At its "Peek Performance" event earlier this year, Apple even directly teased the launch of the Apple silicon Mac Pro, saying "that's for another day." While Apple reportedly had an M1-variant of the Mac Pro ready to launch earlier in 2022, the company appears to be waiting for an even bigger performance and efficiency jump next year.

Multiple reports from Gurman about the Apple silicon Mac Pro's chip options and specifications provide a fairly straightforward picture of what to expect from the new flagship Mac, but little is currently known about the device's design, ports, performance, and potential for modularity and customization. Most recently, Gurman said that Apple had likely scrapped plans for an "M2 Extreme" chip, but M2 Ultra configurations of the new Mac Pro still seem to be on track for launch in 2023.

Article Link: Apple Didn't Release Any New Macs This Quarter for First Time Since 2000

 

[russell_314]

Well the only thing they have yet to release is the Mac Pro and maybe a high end Mac mini.

 

[mscuthbert]

“Can’t innovate my…okay, fair point.”

 

[BriSpe]

And here we are...everyone thought Apple would release new Macs regularly since they don't depend on Intel anymore.
Seems like Intel was not the problem.

 

[tomtad]

“How you all enjoying the renaissance of the Mac?” - Craig Federighi, WWDC 22

 

[RammyXX]

And yet, we survived. Just like we would survive a year without a new iPhone.

 

[amaze1499]

Thank god. A slowdown at last. Make it every three years and we will still survive.

 

[bollman]

Well the only thing they have yet to release is the Mac Pro and maybe a high end Mac mini.

The high end mac mini is already here. It is called ”Studio”.

 

[G46&Fbnth5]

And here we are...everyone thought Apple would release new Macs regularly since they don't depend on Intel anymore.
Seems like Intel was not the problem.

It could be that Intel was a big problem, while now there are new problems

 

[Elijen]

They must be waiting for 3nm!

 

[caribbeanblue]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

 

[MajorFubar]

Have to admit, I solidly expected M2 Minis, 14" and 16" MBPs to be launched in October, even if they were nothing more than an internal spec-bump like the 13" Pro. It's kinda weird that especially the 14" and 16" M1 MBPs are still on sale going into 2023, considering certain aspects of their performance are bettered by an M2 13" Pro. Apple is starting to have too many mish-mash cross-breeds in its product lines, like it did when Jobs took the reins again in 1999, which causes consumer confusion. Apple Silicon should have streamlined the options not made them more confusing. EDIT in fact, even in the iPad and iPhone spaces, you can't honestly tell me all the different options are clearly delineated, which is why some models have been disappointing sellers.

 

[carlsson]

I rather wait than have delayed promises. Much better in the long run!

 

[Pezimak]

And here we are...everyone thought Apple would release new Macs regularly since they don't depend on Intel anymore.
Seems like Intel was not the problem.

I was thinking that. They literally blamed it all on Intel before, now only two Mac’s they sell use Intel still, Mac Pro and Mac Mini. It is entirely down to Apple as to why they have not been replaced. With the Intel Mac Mini they either need to ditch it entirely, or give it a Pro chip IMO.

 

[Bug-Creator]

, those are still M1.

M1 or M1.1 (aka M2), same difference.....

Read none of the M1x based Macs is in dire need for an update.

Sure they need to discontinue the SpaceGrey Mini and find a way to convince everyone that a new MacPro without everything defined a MacPro in the past is a good thing but other than that no point in rushing stuff that might not be ready for a quarter or 2.

 

[jayryco]

Have to admit, I solidly expected M2 Minis, 14" and 16" MBPs to be launched in October, even if they were nothing more than an internal spec-bump like the 13" Pro. It's kinda weird that especially the 14" and 16" M1 MBPs are still on sale going into 2023, considering certain aspects of their performance are bettered by an M2 13" Pro. Apple is starting to have too many mish-mash cross-breeds in its product lines, like it did when Jobs took the reins again in 1999, which causes consumer confusion. Apple Silicon should have streamlined the options not made them more confusing. EDIT in fact, even in the iPad and iPhone spaces, you can't honestly tell me all the different options are clearly delineated, which is why some models have been disappointing sellers.

I agree that they need to partially work to simplify their product lineups again. The iPads and iPhones seem particularly messy at this point, however I'm not too concerned about their Mac lineups as they all seem to serve their purposes quite well.

I'm waiting for the new 16' MacBook Pro as it will be an immediate upgrade for myself when it launches, coming from the M1 MacBook Pro I definitely find myself stretching it's performance and it suffers under heavy load pretty regularly.

 

[AppleBuddy1]

It's okay. They need more time to polishing products and resolve some issues with supply chains.

 

[caribbeanblue]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

 

[ebatalha]

I would also like to have a PS5 and here we are. There's a world wide problem still going on, not to be compared with the laziness of Intel, for the ones thinking that after all Intel was ok… And thank the US gov to save Intel. Poor bastards!

 

[caribbeanblue]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

 

[LeeW]

Many firms are still struggling due to supply issues. And all the issues caused by COVID are still being felt, look at China right now and the recent issues with closures. Hence Apple is moving more and more out of China.

So many on here were of the view that not using intel was somehow going to mean Apple would magically never be held back again. The reality is simply different chip, different issues, same delays.

To be fair though the current M1/M2 line-up really isn't that bad and better than had they still had a full intel line-up.

 

[Bug-Creator]

M2 isn't M1.1, it's worth being called M2.

*shrug* it is still a minor uplift compared to what can be expected from 3nm.

The way I see it is that if Apple had done a M2Pro/Max/Ultra for the MBP and Studio those would have been delayed to at least 2024 before getting a 3nm upgrade.

Also given that Apple has hiked prices and changed exchange rates for new products it stands to reason that a base MBProM2Pro or StudioM2Max would cost easily as much as the M1 version with unbinned chips shrinking the performance gap even further (or even pushing it to the other side).

 

[Harvey Zoltan]

That's OK, I'm good. The recent upgrades should keep me going for a few years.

 

[AppleBuddy1]

*shrug* it is still a minor uplift compared to what can be expected from 3nm.

Absolutely. I'm waiting for 3nm and M3.

 

[redrev]

They must be waiting for 3nm!

Exactly, I'm still waiting for my entry into Mx-land from Intel but an M2 Pro or Max doesn't seem that interesting to me since the gain over their M1-peers seems to be fairly small. Given me M3 Pro and Max directly instead.