Apple Reportedly Aiming to Upgrade the MacBook Pro Twice This Year

[MacRumors]

Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display models in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman added that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year.

First up will be MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which should be coming soon. Then, the MacBook Pro is expected to receive a major redesign in late 2026 (but 2027 is still not fully ruled out), with rumored features including an OLED touch screen, a Dynamic Island, M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a thinner design, and built-in cellular connectivity.

Apple updated the MacBook Pro twice in one year in the past, with the M2 Pro and M2 Max models debuting in January 2023 and the M3 Pro and M3 Max models following in October 2023, so there is precedent for such a thing.

Apple's Creator Studio bundle of apps launches on Wednesday, January 28, and it has been speculated that Apple might use the opportunity to unveil the MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips this week.

As for the MacBook Air, it is expected to get the M5 chip, while the Mac Studio should get higher-end M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.

There have been reports about a new Studio Display being in the works, with rumored features including mini-LED backlighting, ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and either an A19 or A19 Pro chip. Last month, the next-generation Studio Display was potentially spotted in a Chinese regulatory database.

Apple also plans to release a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip and an updated Mac mini at some point this year, according to Gurman. The lower-cost MacBook is expected to be powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip.

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Article Link: Apple Reportedly Aiming to Upgrade the MacBook Pro Twice This Year

 

[257Loner]

No one needs M5. M3 was good enough.

 

[Black_Mage]

Just give me Wi-Fi 7. Anyone know if that will be with the M5 pro or do I have to wait for M6 Pro?

 

[akatsuki]

Way to entirely piss of a premium customer base is to release a model and then "obsolete" it months later. I really don't believe this is true, they should just shelve the first upgrade.

 

[everlast3434]

I'm waiting for M7!

 

[Black_Mage]

No one needs M5. M3 was good enough.

No one needs M3. M1 is good enough. 😆

 

[jz0309]

I think that the OLED touch screen laptops will be and additional new line (eg MBP Ultra) and not replace the current MBPs.
Touchscreen on laptops is niche, Windows has taught us that much.

 

[rp2011]

Have we seen benchmark leaks for the Pro or Max yet? Usually we've seen the number right before.
I remain doubtful.

I do see the new A series budget ones soon, and even a budget one with cellular connectivity as the A series chip already has cellular connectivity, and the budget ones would be the ones carriers would be most ready for.

My uninformed guess is the Pro's and Max later this year.

 

[neuropsychguy]

No one needs M3. M1 is good enough. 😆

No one needs the M1. The Motorola 68040 is good enough.

 

[platinumaqua]

Spec upgrade first and design upgrade later sounds reasonable if they keep both around. People who don't want OLED screens can opt for the older design with new innards.

 

[BabyBoii]

m1 max was just too good. rare under promise, over deliver moment for apple. m5/6 gonna need to be something special to win us m1 max users over.

 

[foobarbaz]

Way to entirely piss of a premium customer base is to release a model and then "obsolete" it months later. I really don't believe this is true, they should just shelve the first upgrade.

What's the alternative? Skipping the M5? Then those "pissed off" customers would be even worse, having bought an M4 shortly before the M6.

Or intentionally delaying the M6? That would just add a whole new group of people buying the older version shortly before it's updated. They'd be "pissed off", too, if they heard that Apple was intentionally withholding the new version from them.

Early updates always leave more people with actual benefits than with imaginary losses.

 

[spritle]

No one needs the M1. The Motorola 68040 is good enough.

No one needs the Motorola 68040. The Batcomputer is good enough.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Base MacBook Pro, Mac Mini should get base M6 this year. Everything else should get the high end M5 Pro and Max.

 

[Blaine]

what about the 32" Pro Display XDR? 🫠

 

[AlexESP]

Way to entirely piss of a premium customer base is to release a model and then "obsolete" it months later. I really don't believe this is true, they should just shelve the first upgrade.

It’s not obsolete months later. In fact, I’m considering whether I should wait for the M6 or not… even if I think Apple is not going to repeat the errors of the 2016 MBP, there will be some drawbacks with the new design.

 

[Biro]

No one needs the M1. The Motorola 68040 is good enough.

No one needs the Motorola 68040. The Zilog Z80 is enough.

 

[macsimcon]

Mac touch screen = Touch Bar = Trashcan Mac. All stupid ideas in search of a problem to solve.

You can’t draw on a MBP screen, it’s vertical, and the hinge is too weak to withstand the pressure. Also, the targets in macOS are designed for a cursor, not a finger or pencil.

Such a dumb idea.

 

[257Loner]

No one needs the Motorola 68040. The Zilog Z80 is enough.

No one needs the Zilog Z80. An abacus is good enough.

 

[RavynArcadia]

No one needs M5. M3 was good enough.

No one needs a computer. Pen and paper is good enough.

 

[macbookj0e]

I hope they still sell a MBP without touchscreen. Don’t want to pay extra for something I don’t want.

 

[257Loner]

No one needs a computer. Pen and paper is good enough.

That's silly. Getting from A to B only requires a Toyota Corolla. Not everybody needs the latest Ferrari.

 

[Wanted797]

I think that the OLED touch screen laptops will be and additional new line (eg MBP Ultra) and not replace the current MBPs.
Touchscreen on laptops is niche, Windows has taught us that much.

Agreed. There is the crowd who can’t use OLED and many pro users are connecting to a display (me) and may not want the OLED.

Not to mention corporate customers a likely the biggest buyers.

I was annoyed knowing my work macs lease ends in August but your comment made me realise. As separate lines my work place would not buy the OLED option.

 

[a.coward]

No one needs the Motorola 68040. The Zilog Z80 is enough.

Well, ironically, the Z80 was just discontinued a couple of years ago. 🙂

 

[HouseLannister]

Only reason we get two updates this year is because they never finished last year’s update.