Gurman: New MacBooks Will Be Announced at WWDC in June

[tomtad]

Maybe they’ll finally come in colours and not miserable shades of grey.

Mac sales are down 40% Tim, it’s grim. Let people desire a Mac again and give them some colour!

 

[ThisBougieLife]

and not sure why folks here expect the rumored 15 MBA to have a M3 chip? I'd expect Apple to position it "on par" performance with the 13 with simply a larger screen, maybe 2 more GPU cores ...

The only thing making me think it might have M3 is the rumor that the 13" MBA and MBP are getting updates soon too. Since they are already on M2, what will they be updated to? It seems illogical to introduce the 15" MBA with M2, only for the 13" MBA to get M3 a few months later...

 

[neilw]

I'm glad laptops are getting more regular attention now but it would be nice not to ignore the imac and mac pro.

Apple is always ignoring at least one or two product lines, or at least seeming to. Right now it's the iMac's turn.

 

[Realityck]

The only thing making me think it might have M3 is the rumor that the 13" MBA and MBP are getting updates soon too. Since they are already on M2, what will they be updated to? It seems illogical to introduce the 15" MBA with M2, only for the 13" MBA to get M3 a few months later...

It would be simpler to expect the new 15" MBA is M2 based, and no updates for the existing M2 13" MBA, until some time next year when they can swap the SoC for a newer one for the entire line. That way the manufacturing can be all happening at once, with a common announcement.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I wish they would have just waited until M3 was available instead of pushing this out with M2 then updating it with M3 when it becomes available. Its just gonna generate a lot of loud complaints online in the fall 'hey, I bought a 15 inch MacBook 5 months ago and only if I had waited, I would have gotten a better processor' or 'Can return my M2 MB 15 inch I bought 5 months ago get the new one with M3?', or 'Apple sucks, how can I upgrade my M2 to M3?'

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

Look, I like the 13” MBP. The design and form factor are gorgeous to me.

But…

In the current lineup I don’t think it makes enough sense to keep it around.
If you’re a professional who needs a professional device, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want something beefier with more ports - the 14” or 16” MBPs have that.

If you need/want a lightweight yet powerful device - you’ll likely choose the MBA.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

If they are going to announce an updated 13.6” MBA, what else could they do but add an M3 processor? It’s too early for any external design changes. This whole story about them bringing out new machines with M2 processors seems fishy.

My (very likely unpopular) opinion/hope: finally the iMac-like colors and white keyboards/bezel 😝

A lot of people would hate that, but I’d have to take a long hard look at my current devices to see which one I’d sell and get a green or orange MBA instead.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

My (very likely unpopular) opinion/hope: finally the iMac-like colors and white keyboards/bezel 😝

A lot of people would hate that, but I’d have to take a long hard look at my current devices to see which one I’d sell and get a green or orange MBA instead.

Same 😍 I always thought the colors of those old iBooks were beautiful. I'd love to see the iMac colors on the MBA.

 

[Realityck]

I wish they would have just waited until M3 was available instead of pushing this out with M2 then updating it with M3 when it becomes available.

This is an assumption that Apple has one production year lined up right after another production year.

Has Apple acted that way in the past? There is going to be a fair length of time between model updates normally.

This is more run away thoughts about what they expect, not what Apple offers.

 

[Warped9]

Now that would be something if the iMac was the first one to get the M3...

Yeah, bring that on!!

It makes some measure of sense for the MacBook Air 15 having an M2 like the 13 which was released not that long ago. Time for the iMac to get some love.

 

[Falhófnir]

This has been a weird caper, especially if Ross Young is right about the 15" panels starting production in February and this computer not launching until June! That's a long time for a just-in-time production model, where they're not going to want these things sat in a warehouse for weeks and months costing money. Either these were trickling off the production line in ludicrously small volumes to start with, or they've had concerns over procurement closer to launch date?

Look, I like the 13” MBP. The design and form factor are gorgeous to me.

But…

In the current lineup I don’t think it makes enough sense to keep it around.
If you’re a professional who needs a professional device, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want something beefier with more ports - the 14” or 16” MBPs have that.

If you need/want a lightweight yet powerful device - you’ll likely choose the MBA.

I think it's just as simple as having something for those who want a 'MacBook Pro' but at the price closer to $1,000 than $2,000 that they've been used to with previous models. Some people won't think past the name of the computer printed on the box even if they'd be perfectly fine with a MBA. I don't know how long they can milk this chassis, or what they do when that becomes untenable - a 14" with a regular LCD, 2 thunderbolt ports and the base M4/M5 chip?

 

[Tagbert]

My (very likely unpopular) opinion/hope: finally the iMac-like colors and white keyboards/bezel 😝

A lot of people would hate that, but I’d have to take a long hard look at my current devices to see which one I’d sell and get a green or orange MBA instead.

I‘d go for the brighter colors, but don’t care for or see the point to the pastel fronts. Just give us some real colors. And don’t mess up the keyboard layout the way the iMac keyboard was. That is the wrong cursor key layout.

 

[DavidSchaub]

I still don't understand the 15" MBA not having M3.

If it doesn't, that means it will be a generation behind the 13" MBA and MBP when they are inevitably updated with M3 later this year. Or are we supposed to believe the 15" MBA will be announced at WWDC with M2 and then will be updated to M3 in the fall? Or the 13" MBA and MBP won't get updates until 2024?

And what about the Mac Pro? Is it really just going to be a Mac Studio in a big, empty chassis?

At this point I just want WWDC to happen so this can start making sense.

I see nothing strange about the 15" MBA having M2.

Even if other M3 products come out in the fall (2024 still feels more likely), nothing is stopping Apple from still selling the 15" MBA M2 for a while (they're still selling an M1 iMac after all). I don't understand why anyone would expect Apple to update all their computers... Apple has never done that consistently.

If the Mac Pro is just a Mac Studio with a pile of PCIe slots, that seems like a perfectly valid product, but who knows what it will look like? So many options, here are two:

DavidSchaub (@dschaub@mstdn.social)

Attached: 2 images One question I haven't heard asked: If the next ARM Mac Pro is approximately in a Mac Pro (2019) chassis, where do all the ports come from? Would they have PCIe slots as well as a new rear chassis with the Mac Studio ports like this 1st drawing, or would most of the ports...

mstdn.social

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I see nothing strange about the 15" MBA having M2.

Even if other M3 products come out in the fall (2024 still feels more likely), nothing is stopping Apple from still selling the 15" MBA M2 for a while (they're still selling an M1 iMac after all). I don't understand why anyone would expect Apple to update all their computers... Apple has never done that consistently.

It's true they don't update all their computers at once, but I find it unlikely that they will have inconsistent update cycles for two laptops that are essentially the same apart from screen size. The iMac hasn't been updated, but it's alone in its product category right now.

There isn't really a direct parallel for this right now, because usually they don't release different screen sizes years apart. This is a new product, but it's not a new product line, it's just an additional size option for a product line that has had only one screen size option for a while now. It seems like there would be more motive to get these two laptops on the same page than to, say, get the iMac on the same page as the MBA.

 

[arggg14]

I'm a casual user who likes the screen real estate of the 15" and I use the laptop for basic office tasks and light photoshop and final cut. Would I stand to benefit much at all from M3?

 

[Realityck]

I'm a casual user who likes the screen real estate of the 15" and I use the laptop for basic office tasks and light photoshop and final cut. Would I stand to benefit much at all from M3?

First the M3 have no information about it. Its assumed it would be 20% faster the a M2 with is 20% faster then a M1. So this modest improvements trend is what makes the M3 so attractive?

M1

• 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
• 8-core GPU
• 68/s memory bandwidth
• 16 GB supported memory
• Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC
  Video decode engine

M2

• 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
• either 8 to 10-core GPU
• 100GB/s memory bandwidth
• 24 GB supported memory
• Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC
  Video decode engine
• ProRes encode and decode engine

Comparably the M2 Pro represents a lot more (used in Mac mini and 14"/16" MBPs

• 10-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
• 16-core GPU
• 200GB/s memory bandwidth
• 32 GB supported memory
• Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC
  Video decode engine
• ProRes encode and decode engine

 

[Tagbert]

I'm a casual user who likes the screen real estate of the 15" and I use the laptop for basic office tasks and light photoshop and final cut. Would I stand to benefit much at all from M3?

The M3 is likely be a little faster in single-core process but not revolutionary over the M2. It might seem a little zippier in some tasks or you might not notice much difference. Look at the performance differences year to year on the iPhone. A processor speed difference matters only a little bit in your actual day to day experience. If you are coming from an Intel Mac then either the M2 or M3 will feel like a revelation.

 

[jz0309]

The only thing making me think it might have M3 is the rumor that the 13" MBA and MBP are getting updates soon too. Since they are already on M2, what will they be updated to? It seems illogical to introduce the 15" MBA with M2, only for the 13" MBA to get M3 a few months later...

if that were to happen, I'd agree

 

[arggg14]

The M3 is likely be a little faster in single-core process but not revolutionary over the M2. It might seem a little zippier in some tasks or you might not notice much difference. Look at the performance differences year to year on the iPhone. I significant process speed difference matters only a little bit in your actual day to day experience. If you are coming from an Intel Mac then either the M2 or M3 will feel like a revelation.

Yep, 2016 MBP. I think I'll spring for the M2 15" MBA when it comes out.

 

[darngooddesign]

The Mighty Kreskin strikes again.

 

[DavidSchaub]

It's true they don't update all their computers at once, but I find it unlikely that they will have inconsistent update cycles for two laptops that are essentially the same apart from screen size. The iMac hasn't been updated, but it's alone in its product category right now.

There isn't really a direct parallel for this right now, because usually they don't release different screen sizes years apart. This is a new product, but it's not a new product line, it's just an additional size option for a product line that has had only one screen size option for a while now. It seems like there would be more motive to get these two laptops on the same page than to, say, get the iMac on the same page as the MBA.

All true.

I expect they will align, eventually, but them being out of alignment for a generation wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[Resident Guru]

I'll hang onto my current Intel MBP and wait to get to the 15in MBA when the M3 comes to it. 3nm process is vastly superior to the M2's 5nm.

Bad idea. Have you read about how the M4 will be light years ahead of the M3? You should wait.

 

[Ceecephous]

New finishes for the m2 macsbooks. Wait for the 2024's ones with the M3 proc

 

[AndiG]

Apple Mac sales down 40%
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...40-as-post-pandemic-pc-sales-slump-continues/

A Mac is a Mac - no exciting updates. I still use it and it is one of my favorite computers. But it is a Mac, it should be upgraded on a regular basis. But that‘s it. I like my Mac bug free, btw.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Timmy is coming for my bank account again I see