Gurman: Apple to Launch New Macs Next Month, With More to Come Around May or June

[HobeSoundDarryl]

That's totally up to Microsoft. They're the problem here, as they won't license an ARM version of Windows to run on the M1 (without jumping through a bunch of hoops, anyway).

ARM Windows isn't full Windows anyway. Best option for those of us that need to also run Windows stuff now is to keep our old Intel Macs with Bootcamp around or return to the days where you have TWO computers.

The great, great, great benefit of being able to have ONE box to fully run both OS's is dying fast. It's a terrible loss for the working Mac crowd but the only real choice is roll with it. In many situations for working Mac people, Windows is essential while MacOS is a very nice alternative. Where "must have" clashes with "nice to have," the former may win the "next purchase" battle.

Silicon Bootcamp now comes in the form of a separate, self contained box... think of it as a fat, relatively heavy dongle. It is THE way forward for Mac people who also need fully-functional Windows too.

Microsoft making ARM Windows for sale would then need Apple to make a Silicon Bootcamp option too. So while it's easy to blame Microsoft here, the one tangible option that "just works" in a complete way is to buy the fat dongle and/or repurpose/use existing Intel Macs to cover the Windows need. Windows inside (too) is very likely OVER.

 

[Woochoo]

So maybe:

• March - M1 Pro/Max Mac mini desktop
• May - M1 Pro/Max 27" iMac all-in-one desktop
• June - Dual/Quad M1 Max Mac Pro desktop (preview at WWDC, release end of 2022)
• October - M2 14" MacBook laptop / M2 Mac mini desktop / M2 24" iMac all-in-one desktop

MBA M1 was released in November 2020, an October release would be a 2 year refresh cycle for their highest sales computer. Maybe with the Mac Mini, which they didn't update every year, but not with laptops for sure. It's more likely that Apple goes for a 18 months one as some leak from the supply chain stated some months ago.

So I expect MBA/MB with M2 in March, maybe in June as maximum. Also a March event with only a new iPad Air and a Mac Mini would be pretty dull

 

[theluggage]

That's totally up to Microsoft. They're the problem here, as they won't license an ARM version of Windows to run on the M1 (without jumping through a bunch of hoops, anyway).

You'll be waiting a while. Microsoft has an exclusivity deal with Qualcomm, that I don't see them walking away from anytime soon.

Direct booting (as in BootCamp) probably isn't going to happen, Microsoft willing or not, because it is a major technical job (custom bootloader, custom M1 GPU driver, custom... everything else drivers).

Apple have clearly said that they are not going to support direct booting of other OSs and that the future is virtualisation. That article where Apple said it was "up to Microsoft" was talking about virtualisation and Apple have indeed put extensive support for hypervisors into MacOS.

(N.b. before anybody mentions Ashai Linux note that a: that still has a long way to go before it is usable, whereas VM-based Linux has been working on M1 for a while and b: "Apple not supporting" us not the same as "Apple not allowing". Just don't complain when the drivers break with every minor hardware/firmware update... Kudos and best wishes to Ashai but, honestly, I wouldn't hold my breath for a production-ready version).

However - Parallels seems to run Win11 for ARM pretty well by all accounts - and as of a few months ago it appears that you can download & install it, buy and apply a full license without the previous rigmarole of having to create an "insiders" account and agree to an evaluation-only license. This was only announced via an obscure blog comment from Parallels with no fanfare elsewhere - but it is apparently just something that MS don't want to shout from the treetops. If you're working in a business/professional environment where you might get hit with a software audit, you may want to do a bit more research, but it looks legit.

 

[svish]

Excited to see all the new Macs, especially the redesigned Air and the bigger iMac. Wonder whether the update to the 24" iMac will come in new colours.

 

[theluggage]

I just can't see them putting a M1 Pro and especially not a M1 Max in a Mac mini if they plan on releasing a Mac Pro with Apple Silicon this year, it just doesn't make sense.

M1 Max "only" represents half-decent midrange CPU/GPU performance that will still fit in a relatively thin laptop, with decent battery life, or in a small-form-factor/all-in-one with limited cooling. You can get comparable performance in an x86 gaming laptop/portable workstation provided you don't mind a lap-burning cinderblock with 2 hour battery life.

M1 Max is incredible for what it is, but it isn't a replacement for the higher end CPU and GPU configurations of the Mac Pro.

The Apple Silicon Mac Pro will have to bring something new to be credible. That sounds like it is going to be dual- or quad- M1 Max packages, but making that work efficiently with existing software (in a market that doesn't change workflows on a whim) is going to be non trivial. It also leaves the question of what happens about PCIe slots (only re-introduced in 2019 - ARM can support PCIe OK, but the Mac Pro uses an absurd number of PCIe lanes) and 1TB+ RAM configurations (...which, presumably, some of Apple's Mac Pro customers need).

In short, a M1 Pro/Max Mac Mini isn't going to interfere with Mac Pro sales.

March: M2 Air, M2 13" pro, M2 24" imac
June: mac pro, mini pro, mac pro (probably m1 pro/max but I'm hoping for m2 pro/max)
october: m2 pro/max 14" and 17" laptops

That's a logical guess (except I'd move the Mac Pro to October with maybe a pre-announcement at WWDC) that sounds like it could have been Plan A back in 2019.

Thing is - a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and we're all trying to make logical guesses whereas Apple are probably firefighting component shortages and delays. It's easy to imagine that (e.g.) Apple is knee-deep in M2 chips, because of how closely they work with TSMC, but the displays for the planned M2 Mini re-vamp are late. Or that the 14/16" MBP got launched 4 months late and updating them again now would tick off users too much. Etc. We'll probably never know. So I think it's worth considering that any March event might be a disappointment or a kludge to maintain interest, and not make perfect rational sense.

I'm going to keep my "uninformed wild mad guess" colours pinned to either:
(a) the nearest thing to a Mac that gets announced in March is a tartan watch band
or
(b) An otherwise unchanged M2 13" MBP released mainly for the sake of claiming "first to 24-hour battery life".

The great thing about pessimism is that it is so nice to be proven wrong.

 

[CWallace]

Common sense says that WWDC will be the announcement of the "prosumer/professional" models - Mac mini Pro, iMac Pro and Mac Pro. I would expect the mini Pro and iMac Pro to also release at that event, with Mac Pro coming end of 2022 or early 2023.

So that suggests that March will be the 13.3" MacBook Pro update, be it with M2 or an M1 Pro (and only M1 Pro due to cooling concerns of a single fan - so no M1 Max option).

 

[EugW]

Common sense says that WWDC will be the announcement of the "prosumer/professional" models - Mac mini Pro, iMac Pro and Mac Pro. I would expect the mini Pro and iMac Pro to also release at that event, with Mac Pro coming end of 2022 or early 2023.

So that suggests that March will be the 13.3" MacBook Pro update, be it with M2 or an M1 Pro (and only M1 Pro due to cooling concerns of a single fan - so no M1 Max option).

Nah, I wouldn't expect they would cluster all of the "Pro" desktops at WWDC. I don't think that is "common sense" at all.

 

[blairh]

A May event is unlikely. WWDC would be the day instead.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

A 32" iMac Max!!!

 

[NorrisKillsKids]

I’m sure the hardware leaking is solid but gurman is completely guessing which is happening when. Educated guesses but still.

 

[StupidOpinion]

any updated rumors about the iMac 27"? the last rumor i heard a while back, it was going to have just 10 or 12CPU performance cores

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Why hold back Mac Mini PRO & MAX until WWDC? There were very strong rumors and expectations that it was READY to launch with MBpros months ago. To have been launchable at the same time would imply they were far beyond designed and practically "in box" so they could start arriving about the same time that MBpros were arriving.

If that was true, new Mac Mini designs held back for WWDC would be arriving about 8 months AFTER they were perhaps ready to ship.

Of course, all of those FALL Mac Mini rumors could have been wrong (being wrong about new Mac Minis is definitely a common theme) but the chorus of those often at least modestly right all seemed to be on that same train. If we assume Mini PRO & MAX did not launch then to maximize PRO & MAX for MBpros, the need to keep holding them back now is probably much weakened. Personally, I doubt the CPU is the part making MBpros still have some shipping delays. Instead, I think that is other parts that a Max Mini doesn't even have.

If they didn't exist then, then anything is possible, including a Mac Mini with M2 being the "high end" replacement for the lingering Mac Mini Intel. But my (perhaps wishful thinking) guts think it is more likely that Mac Mini PRO & MAX WAS- in fact- ready to go with MBpros and was arbitrarily held back. If so, there's less reason to keep holding them back now that the big wave of MBpro buyers got their's already.

All other March rumors- including iMac "bigger" and this very recent MBpro 13" have been less consistent. For example, there is still debates about the screen size in the iMac and pretty plausible rationalization for a delay due to screen availability (a problem Mac Mini doesn't have to resolve). The MBpro 13" shipping with Touch Bar seems highly unlikely to me... even if I try to buy the speculation of there being a warehouse full of touch bars that "needed to get used." Mighty Apple getting stuck with a warehouse full of deprecated parts- and then feeling compelled to use them and going to special trouble to make them work in an Apple Silicon "one off" Mac- doesn't seem very plausible to me. Maybe if this was Apple 1996.

While I think M2 (or whatever it will be called) should launch as soon as it is ready and very much have no worry about buyer confusion of M2 vs. M1 that so many others around here seem to have, I will be most surprised if the rumored MAR event rolls out a Touch Bar 13" as the first Mac with an M2. Is there really a need for a entry-level "Pro" machine vs. an up-powered Air? Is there really a need for a 13" and 14" Pro variation? If smaller (than 14") is a real need, I'd think a resurrection of the 12" size may better fit. But again, it would seem easier to just expand BTO options for the Air to fill in some gap of "smaller" but with "more power."

However, won't the debates be fun? Notch-less with Touch Bar vs. notched and no Touch Bar in the SAME line of products. ? Will the "notch is iconic" crowd then rationalize this "Touch Bar is iconic" too... but not needed on the other products? Will "I love the Touch Bar" fly for this as "I love the notch" did for that? Maybe Apple can also relight the lid Apple logo for this one to really make things fun. Stay tuned.

 

[Ethosik]

Nah, I wouldn't expect they would cluster all of the "Pro" desktops at WWDC. I don't think that is "common sense" at all.

It might from a truly high end professional software perspective. There are still some that have not been ported to ARM yet. Whether those devs are waiting for the higher end hardware or not, it does make sense from a developer perspective to show some upcoming new things you as a dev can use.

 

[Nismo73]

I don’t see the need to update the Air yet even though it’s been over a year. Is the battery life and power of the M1 really an issue at this time?

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Man I hate tech! I just bought a M1 Air. I knew a new model would come this year. But that’s just how tech works

Though, if it has white bezels and a notch I won’t be interested anyway

Hurry! Send it back while you still can, can you?

 

[NorrisKillsKids]

I don’t see the need to update the Air yet even though it’s been over a year. Is the battery life and power of the M1 really an issue at this time?

The focal point of the new air will likely be the new design. And yes that design could be better! Lighter, less bezel, mag safe, etc. cool colours are bonus. It’s clear apple wants to do major updates to all their macs for this new era. This next redesign for the air this year will probably be the design language for the next 6-10 years.

 

[satchmo]

Still think the rumour about M2 in 13-inch MBP is extremely strange.

“Here’s our brand new chip in our 6-year old chassis! We think you’ll love it!”

M1 Pro on 13-inch MBP makes far more sense.

Yeah, it might look like a bit of an ugly duckling with the new MBP 14/16 and MBA redesigns.

I realize it'll be much cheaper using the existing form factor, but who knows maybe it'll come with an all new chassis. Same design as the 14, but slightly scaled down.

 

[satchmo]

The focal point of the new air will likely be the new design. And yes that design could be better! Lighter, less bezel, mag safe, etc. cool colours are bonus. It’s clear apple wants to do major updates to all their macs for this new era. This next redesign for the air this year will probably be the design language for the next 6-10 years.

Or worse.

Arguably the 24" iMac was better than the old 21" model. I can deal with white bezels, but personally I can't get past the washed out pastel colours on the front.

 

[EugW]

It might from a truly high end professional software perspective. There are still some that have not been ported to ARM yet. Whether those devs are waiting for the higher end hardware or not, it does make sense from a developer perspective to show some upcoming new things you as a dev can use.

1. High end professionals don't necessarily follow WWDC. WWDC is a developers conference, not a professionals conference.

2. It makes even more sense for developers to have the machines available in-stores BEFORE WWDC, than to get an announcement at WWDC with availability weeks later.

3. M1 Pro/Max devices are already available anyway. By all accounts the M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros are extremely popular with developers and high end professionals.

4. High end equipment isn't exclusively sold to high end professional software users. For example, I'm a business application user and would consider a M1 Pro Mac mini simply to get additional ports vs. the consumer models. If say the base M1 Pro Mac mini is "only" $300 or so more than the regular M1 Mac mini, I would consider buying it. Yes you can add ports through 3rd party hubs/docks, but there are many issues with some of them, and they cost $100-$300 anyway. May as well spend that $300 on the real thing instead of some random third party product.

 

[soyazul]

Won't buy any new Mac until Windows can be installed again.

in that case. just buy a windows machine. Real Mac users don't install windows.

 

[Natrium]

I don’t think Apple will introduce the next iteration of their Mac chip, the M2, before even completing the transition from Intel. It doesn’t make sense from a marketing perspective to release M1 Pro/Max models after introducing the M2, or to introduce the M2 Pro/Max a few months after the M1 Pro/Max was introduced. The best marketing strategy would be to keep all models in sync after completing the transition and announce upgrades across the entire Mac product range at the same time.

 

[JippaLippa]

The hypothetical M1 MAX MINI will get just as "expensive" minus some value for the laptop-only parts (everything in the lid, keyboard, trackpad, better speakers, etc). Some people think that discount is going to be about $500-$700. So configure the Super Mini now as a MBpro 14" exactly as you want it and then subtract a bit for laptop-only pieces. That's probably best logical guess at pricing the new Mini.

I think way too many people can't imagine Mini with PRO & MAX because they are mentally locked in on Mini being priced really low. However, the top config one this new one will replace can be configured at $2999 right now... with tech a few years old.

I DO expect a Mini with PRO & MAX config options. However, I also expect it to be a not-mini price for those configs. I'm best guessing:

• a maxed Mac Mini MAX is going to hit about $5K. At the other end,
• a MIN config with PRO might hit $1299 but I'm guessing $1499.

I hope to see these actually come to market.

The mini has more ports, requires less space on a desk, costs less and doesn't require a 250$ thunderbolt hub.
Anyway I totally expect the mini I'd want to be 3.000$, however the macbook pro I chose was 4500$

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If $4500 config in a MBpro, I'd expect the Mini with the same specs to be around $3700-$3900 based on logical best guessing.

However, being in the market for a super Mini myself, I'll hope the lid + other laptops education is that high ($1500), so my probable outlay comes in about $1000 less than I'm assuming right now. That would be great!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I don’t think Apple will introduce the next iteration of their Mac chip, the M2, before even completing the transition from Intel. It doesn’t make sense from a marketing perspective to release M1 Pro/Max models after introducing the M2, or to introduce the M2 Pro/Max a few months after the M1 Pro/Max was introduced. The best marketing strategy would be to keep all models in sync after completing the transition and announce upgrades across the entire Mac product range at the same time.

Apple has never done that last bit- update the whole range at the same time. Mac updates are spread around throughout the year. I don't expect that to change due to Apple Silicon. It wasn't that way when Macs were PowerPC either.

If M2 is ready to roll, they should roll it. M2 is the power-sipping, general purpose chip. If it sips less power than the M1 it replaces, great. Holding back a finished, better chip makes no sense.

All this worry about customer confusion is misplaced. If Apple believes that, they can stop referencing numbers in chip names and roll out new Macs with "Powered By Apple Silicon." Those not nearly as interested in such details, won't even care... nor be confused about which Mac is most powerful because the masses conclude that by differences in PRICING, assuming the higher priced one is the higher specced one and vice versa.

If Apple is still as hung up about this as some of us seem to be, they can just paint a different number on a M-series chip and claim M1 was for 2021 machines and M2 is for 2022 machines. Putting year names in branding is not exactly foreign to Apple history.

Consumers really hung up on "highest number" can just buy the M2 Mac they want and it will work fine for them. Those who know there's a bit more to the story than "highest number," may opt for other chips with lower numbers but this suffix called PRO or MAX on them. And they'll get the Mac they want too.

 

[Ethosik]

1. High end professionals don't necessarily follow WWDC. WWDC is a developers conference, not a professionals conference.

2. It makes even more sense for developers to have the machines available in-stores BEFORE WWDC, than to get an announcement at WWDC with availability weeks later.

3. M1 Pro/Max devices are already available anyway. By all accounts the M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros are extremely popular with developers and high end professionals.

4. High end equipment isn't exclusively sold to high end professional software users. For example, I'm a business application user and would consider a M1 Pro Mac mini simply to get additional ports vs. the consumer models. If say the base M1 Pro Mac mini is "only" $300 or so more than the regular M1 Mac mini, I would consider buying it. Yes you can add ports through 3rd party hubs/docks, but there are many issues with some of them, and they cost $100-$300 anyway. May as well spend that $300 on the real thing instead of some random third party product.

It’s a developers conference. Having a truly pro chip should get attention for developers that the M1 is not good enough to handle. You know the Xeons and desktop class performance. Developers should know these things to start developing or enhancing their product. It’s why the Arm test kit was discussed at WWDC since it’s a developer conference. It’s why Apple announced the Mac Pro and Display at WWDC 2019 too. And why Apple announced not only normal iMacs but iMac Pro in 2017 WWDC.