Gurman: Apple to Announce New Macs This Month

[SnowCrocodile]

People who actually work instead of multitask?

Well, in my work, I often need to cross-reference a couple of PDFs, an Excel spreadsheet, and a bunch of supporting documentation with data to run engineering and financial analysis and to create a comprehensive report that could cause (or cancel) many millions of dollars in spending. At work, I use two 24" monitors because that's what they ordered a while ago and refuse to upgrade. When WFH, I use a combination of 32" and a vertical 24" monitor and it's unbelievably more productive.

If you can do your work by concentrating on a single app window, all power to you. But different jobs require different tools.

 

[ric22]

Based on the current ARM M chips, you would need an M1/M2 Max to be able to have 64TB of RAM. I find this to be a MAJOR short coming of the current ARM M chip architecture. And the current chin on the 24” iMac is not big enough to hold a board with a chip of that size. Perhaps the M3 will eliminate those difficulties but I would doubt it.

Eh? The chip doesn't need to live in the chin. They just need to make the (pointlessly) thin iMac thicker...

 

[HiVolt]

Not as profitable as other stuff? Profit drives all at modern AAPL.

My guess is it WILL be M2. Roll out anything M3 now and then months from now the wonder product launching with "old technology" makes little sense. However, update the last M1 to M2 and the holiday season marketing can be "Now ALL of our Macs have our latest & greatest tech inside: buy now!"

Through the business mind lens, I don't know what makes more sense than that... unless M3 across the board is ready and the wonder product will also be upgraded with M3.

Roll out 1 or 2 Macs with M3 now and all other Macs immediately get the "dated tech" psychological tag... encouraging all who can wait a bit longer TO wait for M3 versions. That's NOT how you maximize the most lucrative quarter's sales.

I just don't understand that Apple is doing this with their own designed CPU's.

Remember in the Intel era, especially in the first half of it, Apple would get Intel chips in a priority to release in their products.

Then they complained that Intel didn't advance fast enough year to year.

And now are shipping products with CPU's that Apple itself released a year and a half ago?

That kinda baffles the mind.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

And…. Kuo said no Mac announcement this year 🤷‍♂️ 🤔 All conflicting opinions… As i always agree with Doris Day:
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be…

 

[SnowCrocodile]

I just don't understand that Apple is doing this with their own designed CPU's.

Remember in the Intel era, especially in the first half of it, Apple would get Intel chips in a priority to release in their products.

Then they complained that Intel didn't advance fast enough year to year.

And now are shipping products with CPU's that Apple itself released a year and a half ago?

That kinda baffles the mind.

Not really. They competed with others using Intel chips. Having the old tech in their premium products when Dell or HP or Samsung had the bleeding edge stuff didn't look well for marketing.

Now they are not competing with anyone - there's no other brand able to show M3 chip in a similar product. And people who decide to buy an iMac are not going to look at Windows all-in-ones.

ADDED: Apple is an ... interesting manufacturer. I really like the overall user experience of my M2 MacBook (which is the first Apple branded laptop I ever had) but if I could find a Windows laptop with same battery life and keyboard / touchpad feel I'd likely be buying that instead.

 

[Chuckeee]

And M9? Well wait for the big M10

M10… you will be phasing in and out of this multiverse, forget about augmented reality!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

It is not M10 it’s MX !

 

[bobcomer]

And people who decide to buy an iMac are not going to look at Windows all-in-ones.

Some will.

 

[-BigMac-]

I'm wondering what all the people with a 27'' Intel iMac are going to do now that the 2017 model can't be updated to Sonoma. I doubt that most of them would be happy with a 24'' iMac. I guess macMini or Studio and a larger display as it does not look as if there is going to be a new 27'' iMac in the lineup.

Imac 27” went way past 2017. Mine is 2020. Still very capable and running Sonoma.

 

[Realityck]

Gurman believes that the upcoming Mac announcement will take place on Monday, October 30 or Tuesday, October 31, followed by Apple's earnings call on Thursday, November 2. He does not expect any of the new Macs to feature major changes other than new processors, but mused that there could be minor improvements to their displays.

The time from announcing the M1 to the M2 was 18 months 27 days, that same delta sees the M3 arriving about Jan 2 2024. Will the M3 be ready a couple of months sooner? Guess there is always a chance.

Anyway even if this latest rumor is not true we don't have that many more months until the M3 is announced for real.

 

[Fuzzball84]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

It is not M10 it’s MX !

But they had A10.... not AX 🥴

But you're right... it would be on form for Apple to be inconsistent

In any case, who cares about MX/M10 if the bigger M11 or MII Maximus is coming just after that.. to be released with the Big Mac Pro!

 

[Chuckeee]

Baseless speculation, iMac is about to get the Mac mini update to M2, complete with M2 Pro top end.

Maybe the 24" iMac will have both, M2 and M2 Pro, options.

It's gonna be a press release for 24" M2/M2 Pro iMacs. No way they would announce M3 Macs via press release let alone along with M2 iMacs.

There will not be a M2 pro 24” iMac.

I suggest you go view the tear down video of the 24” iMac and the M2 mini pro. The size of logic board in the iMac chin is a tight fit and does not have room to gown. Except for the chin there is no room anyplace else for the logic board in a 24” iMac. Looking at the size of M2 pro chip, from the mini tear down, it is clearly apparent an M2 Pro chip can fit on a logic board that would fit in the iMac chin.

Apple is not going to relay out the M2pro chip just for an iMac. It is almost as unlikely that apple will alter the 24” iMac chassis (after just a single generation) just for an M2 pro version

 

[Fuzzball84]

There will not be a M2 pro 24” iMac.

I suggest you go view the tear down video of the 24” iMac and the M2 mini pro. The size of logic board in the iMac chin is a tight fit and does not have room to gown. Except for the chin there is no room anyplace else for the logic board in a 24” iMac. Looking at the size of M2 pro chip, from the mini tear down, it is clearly apparent an M2 Pro chip can fit on a logic board that would fit in the iMac chin.

Apple is not going to relay out the M2pro chip just for an iMac. It is almost as unlikely that apple will alter the 24” iMac chassis (after just a single generation) just for an M2 pro version

If they release a Big Mac there would be ample room for larger sized logic boards...like an M3 Maxi Max Pro.. it will be the filling that everyone wants and can be served with extra chips on the side.. maybe left over M1's.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Not really. They competed with others using Intel chips. Having the old tech in their premium products when Dell or HP or Samsung had the bleeding edge stuff didn't look well for marketing.

Now they are not competing with anyone - there's no other brand able to show M3 chip in a similar product. And people who decide to buy an iMac are not going to look at Windows all-in-ones.

ADDED: Apple is an ... interesting manufacturer. I really like the overall user experience of my M2 MacBook (which is the first Apple branded laptop I ever had) but if I could find a Windows laptop with same battery life and keyboard / touchpad feel I'd likely be buying that instead.

Its a bit weird that it seems every other manufacturer could work with intel to incorporate the bleeding edge versions.. from laptop, workstation, servers to games consoles... yet when it came to Apple they were releasing older generation chips??

 

[Chuckeee]

For a wild alternative.

How about an iMac 24” LE based on replacing the M1 chip with a A17pro and selling it for $999?

 

[Fuzzball84]

For a wild alternative.

How about an iMac 24” LE based on replacing the M1 chip with a A17pro and selling it for $999?

If Apple wanted to, they could sell an Apple TV sized device with A15 or A16 and have it running as something similar to a chrome box or mini PC...

They would dominate the market and have another segment to themselves..

It would basically be Apple TV with different software... cheap for them to do

But I doubt they will ever release such a device.

 

[ric22]

There will not be a M2 pro 24” iMac.

I suggest you go view the tear down video of the 24” iMac and the M2 mini pro. The size of logic board in the iMac chin is a tight fit and does not have room to gown. Except for the chin there is no room anyplace else for the logic board in a 24” iMac. Looking at the size of M2 pro chip, from the mini tear down, it is clearly apparent an M2 Pro chip can fit on a logic board that would fit in the iMac chin.

Apple is not going to relay out the M2pro chip just for an iMac. It is almost as unlikely that apple will alter the 24” iMac chassis (after just a single generation) just for an M2 pro version

They'll alter it if they consider it a failure or misstep.

 

[psxp]

"Mac redesigns are apparently likely to occur when Apple begins adding touchscreens to the lineup further in the future."

oh really? Touch screens you say?

 

[DavidSchaub]

Then they complained that Intel didn't advance fast enough year to year.

And now are shipping products with CPU's that Apple itself released a year and a half ago?

That kinda baffles the mind.

It only seems baffling because wrongly everyone blamed Intel, but the reality is: Apple has always had no problem letting products rot on the vine.... Now they can just do it on their terms more.

 

[JamesMay82]

I'm wondering what all the people with a 27'' Intel iMac are going to do now that the 2017 model can't be updated to Sonoma. I doubt that most of them would be happy with a 24'' iMac. I guess macMini or Studio and a larger display as it does not look as if there is going to be a new 27'' iMac in the lineup.

I have a 2014 iMac 27 inch which still runs fine but On Friday I’ve just ordered a studio display to run my works MacBook Air and then I’m going to retire the 27inch iMac and see how i get on using my m1 iPad Pro with the 27 inch studio. I’m hoping the most recent improvements in iPad os17 will allow me to get by with just the iPad for personal use. If not the plan is to pick up a mini or a studio

 

[blue_rabbit]

I’m still rocking a 27 inch late 2015 model.

Can we get the 27 inch model now? I don’t NEED to upgrade yet, but I haven’t been able to update it in years and eventually it’ll be a problem.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I was thinking of updating to the software that would allow me to use Sonoma but passed on it.
I know someone with a newer iMac but its quite a bit slower than mine who now has Sonoma and it runs fine on his machine.
The cutoff date makes no sense when there are slower but newer iMacs that can update to Sonoma.

Monterey still gets security updates.

 

[bodonnell202]

I dunno about this rumor. What process will this M3 chip be built on? I suppose it could be based on the A16 and built on N4P, but I don't think there will be an M chip based on the A17 built on N3B, and it is too soon for N3E.

 

[Fuzzball84]

I was thinking of updating to the software that would allow me to use Sonoma but passed on it.
I know someone with a newer iMac but its quite a bit slower than mine who now has Sonoma and it runs fine on his machine.
The cutoff date makes no sense when there are slower but newer iMacs that can update to Sonoma.

Mac OS is supported as long as Apple considers it worthwhile supporting. They don't have long term releases like Microsoft and Linux (and others)... and I think its because Apple caters mostly to consumers and prosumers. Apple pulls the plug at their discretion... rarely, if ever, any commitments to support.

Thats why, if I ran a business, it would be Microsoft or Linux all the way.

 

[Gudi]

I just don't understand that Apple is doing this with their own designed CPU's.

Remember in the Intel era, especially in the first half of it, Apple would get Intel chips in a priority to release in their products.

Then they complained that Intel didn't advance fast enough year to year.

And now are shipping products with CPU's that Apple itself released a year and a half ago?

That kinda baffles the mind.

Chip design innovation is measured in transistors per cm² and performance per watt − not how recent a chip is. Intel released "newish" chips all the time, all on the same process node. Apple bought all the 3nm production capacity in the entire world, so nobody will get more advanced chips any earlier than Apple customers. Now stop being baffled!

 

[Fuzzball84]

Chip design innovation is measured in transistors per cm² and performance per watt − not how recent a chip is. Intel released "newish" chips all the time, all on the same process node. Apple bought all the 3nm production capacity in the entire world, so nobody will get more advanced chips any earlier than Apple customers. Now stop being baffled!

No, chip design innovation is not just transistors per cm2 and performance per watt... what you're referring to there is the node (and yes I know that is related to design and relies on new technologies)... but chip design involves so much more than node shrinkage... architecture changes are where some really innovative things happen.