Kuo: Apple Silicon Macs to Include 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air This Year, 14.1-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Models Next Year

[MacRumors]

At last month's WWDC, Apple officially announced that its Mac computers will be transitioned from Intel x86 to homegrown Apple Silicon chips. Apple said it plans to deliver the first Apple Silicon Mac by the end of the year and complete the transition in about two years.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a form factor similar to the current 13.3-inch MacBook Pro could be the first Mac to get an Arm-based chip designed by Apple. In March, Kuo predicted this new MacBook Pro will launch late in 2020 or early in 2021.

In a research note with TF International Securities today, seen by MacRumors, Kuo said he expects the Apple Silicon 13.3-inch MacBook Pro to go into mass production in the fourth quarter of this year, but he also now predicts we will see an Arm-based MacBook Air either in the same quarter or in the first quarter of next year.

Kuo still believes that Apple intends to launch a mini-LED 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ and a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, also with a mini-LED display, but these will likely arrive in the second or third quarter of 2021, and intriguingly, both will have an "all-new form factor design." Previous rumors suggested an updated 16-inch MacBook Pro could arrive this year in October or November.

We predict that Apple will launch new MacBook models including the new 13.3-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the Apple Silicon in 4Q20, the new MacBook Air equipped with the Apple Silicon in 4Q20 or 1Q21, and new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models equipped with the Apple Silicon and all-new form factor design in late 2Q21 or 3Q21.

Kuo made no mention in today's report of the Apple Silicon iMac he previously predicted. Apple is still expected to launch a redesigned iMac this year, although it's not expected to be an Apple Silicon machine.

• Should I Buy an Intel Mac Today or Wait to Buy an Arm-Based Mac?

In the same report, Kuo predicts that MacBook shipments in 2020 are expected to increase to 16–17 million units. Kuo also said that under optimistic circumstances, if Apple lowered the price of the new MacBook Air to reflect a cost reduction, and if demand was high for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, shipment volume could increase significantly next year to 18-20 million units.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple Silicon Macs to Include 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air This Year, 14.1-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Models Next Year

 

[dlpowered89]

As an owner of MBP 16”, the bezel on the iMac looks like a 20 year old tech. They have got to update that ASAP

 

[ijbond]

I was hoping for a 14" Intel MacBook Pro.

 

[timber]

It's a rumour that makes sense.

Apple was always going to move as fast as possible on this.

 

[ondert]

LoL... well then 16” will probably be updated to AS in 2022. Apple was always but always too late and lazy to update their mac line-up. If the rumor says it’s Q3 2021 then I gladly expect it no earlier than 2022. Though, Mr. Kuo isn’t good at timing. Let’s see..

 

[Forti]

I was about but my first iMac. I went to shop to order one and then I saw the bezels....

Guess what - still working on my macbook pro 13" mid 2018 + external 27" 4k display.

Apple, c'mon... give me new, 2020 iMac with 2020 design instead of 2009...

 

[glowplug]

I was hoping for a 14" Intel MacBook Pro.

This. Exactly this. Apple’s professional user population is not going to transition to a new chip architecture from day 1. Emulation is hogwash.

 

[Marbles1]

None of this points to a ‘fast transition’, boldly luring power and professional users.

This will be a slow burn. This is quite different to the PowerPC to Intel move which opened up the Mac to a whole new audience.

Apple will need to prove their new machines are worthy upgrading to and not just on power: they will need to be aesthetically desirable.

 

[Arline]

This. Exactly this. Apple’s professional user population is not going to transition to a new chip architecture from day 1. Emulation is hogwash.

The last Intel product from any product line needs to be epic.

 

[gnasher729]

As an owner of MBP 16”, the bezel on the iMac looks like a 20 year old tech. They have got to update that ASAP

Exaggerate much? Here's a 2000 iMac:

apple-history.com

A brief history of the company that changed the computing world forever. Includes specifications, a description and pictures of every Apple computer ever made.

apple-history.com

 

[makarama]

I was planning to avoid the first gen arm MacBook, but now I have one additional reason to do so. And that is a second gen armed MacBook Pro 14 inch. Really, I don't recommend anyone buying the arm MacBook 13 inch at the end of this year given the fact that the new 14 inch model will have better thermals, mini LED screen, one year more of arm development etc etc.

 

[otternonsense]

I'm hoping for symmetrical bezels and optional Touch Bar, for starters.

 

[sotov]

I don't believe Apple's first ARM laptop will not have an updated design. This transition is too important. A 13" or 14" update along the lines of the 16" seems to suggest itself.

What I really want though is a 12" powerhouse with excellent battery life.

 

[CyberBob859]

This doesn't make sense to me. I thought they would switch the MacBook Air to Apple Silicon before the upper-tier MacBook Pro. If there ever was a computer that could use ARM, it's the Air. A fanless 13" with great battery life and good performance would set a new standard in the industry.

 

[Ma2k5]

None of this points to a ‘fast transition’, boldly luring power and professional users.

This will be a slow burn. This is quite different to the PowerPC to Intel move which opened up the Mac to a whole new audience.

Apple will need to prove their new machines are worthy upgrading to and not just on power: they will need to be aesthetically desirable.

Considering even the most premium windows laptops are plagued with issues due to the current Intel chips which have stifled innovation in terms of performance and form factor - I think it will be an easy task.

Battery size, throttling, thermals and noise are all not ideal due to the perf per watt of these Intel machines.

Truthfully I can’t wait to have a laptop which doesn’t need to go 80-100c to do basic tasks.

 

[amartinez1660]

I was about but my first iMac. I went to shop to order one and then I saw the bezels....

Guess what - still working on my macbook pro 13" mid 2018 + external 27" 4k display.

Apple, c'mon... give me new, 2020 iMac with 2020 design instead of 2009...

eGPU it maybe worth it?
The 13” MBP is the perfect portable machine imo. I was on a MBP 15 2014 also with external screens and just bit the iMac 2019 bullet, 16GB of RAM and its discrete gpu became not enough anymore. Ultra happy, refurbished discount, not looking back... but it does look dated.
Had I been on a more recent laptop, would have kept it going with eGPU to buy a few more years for this whole ordeal to settle down, but I hear it can be wonky.
My .0002cents.

 

[CyberBob859]

I don't believe Apple's first ARM laptop will not have an updated design. This transition is too important. A 13" or 14" update along the lines of the 16" seems to suggest itself.

What I really want though is a 12" powerhouse with excellent battery life.

This. Intel can't provide chips for small and light computers having great battery life with good performance. This is where Apple Silicon can clearly shine.

 

[Jony Ive and Co.]

As an owner of MBP 16”, the bezel on the iMac looks like a 20 year old tech. They have got to update that ASAP

That's cuz it IS. The last major redesign was in 2009 lol

 

[amartinez1660]

Well, I can’t wait for the final form factor of the ARM cpu designs and their benchmark numbers.
Although, would it be possible that they will be maybe just active cooled versions of the iOS ones? Wondering now if they would just try to make use of the same production pipeline used for the gadgets that drive 3-digits millions of units.

 

[Forti]

eGPU it maybe worth it?
The 13” MBP is the perfect portable machine imo. I was on a MBP 15 2014 also with external screens and just bit the iMac 2019 bullet, 16GB of RAM and its discrete gpu became not enough anymore. Ultra happy, refurbished discount, not looking back... but it does look dated.
Had I been on a more recent laptop, would have kept it going with eGPU to buy a few more years for this whole ordeal to settle down, but I hear it can be wonky.
My .0002cents.

Ye, I was thinking about eGPU (Sonnet Box 550 + Radeon RX580 looks nice), but I had always some issues with my macbook in clamshell mode.

e.g.: turning on/off monitor sometimes end up with macbook restarts and from time to time I had to unplug and plug once again the usb-C cable.

 

[Wokis]

Personally I’d like a revived 12 inch, but now with decent performance and touch screen. Would be like the ipad pro + keyboard monstrosity they’ve launched but with a more useful OS for such tasks.

 

[Jony Ive and Co.]

I was hoping for a 14" Intel MacBook Pro.

Apple is done with Intel. The next MBP will definitely be ARM

 

[Waragainstsleep]

None of this points to a ‘fast transition’, boldly luring power and professional users.

What this points to is that Kuo doesn't know a whole lot more than the rest of us this time. He might have picked up some vague info he thought indicated something but he was wrong about the iMac and now he's spinning on the 13" MBP. I still think it makes depressingly more sense (just bought one) to start with the 16" if they have something good enough to beat the current model. If they release the 13" first and its better than the 16" it will eat higher end sales. If its not that great then Apple Silicon Macs will be a disappointment out of the gate.

 

[Roscorito]

Very disappointing if the first arm mac is that uninspired refresh of this year’s 13 inch. Why not show off all that power efficiency in a sleek new design?

Unless the idea is to show how much more powerful Apple silicon is than intel, chassis-to-chassis?

 

[wyarp]

As an owner of MBP 16”, the bezel on the iMac looks like a 20 year old tech. They have got to update that ASAP

Every single iMac I have ever worked on has always and CONTINUES to look, MILES better than any PC equivalent. I really could not care less about bezels or not, as a piece of product design, something sat on a desk, it is STILL iconic and streets ahead of the competition. Fact.
[automerge]1594379665[/automerge]

Exaggerate much? Here's a 2000 iMac:

apple-history.com

A brief history of the company that changed the computing world forever. Includes specifications, a description and pictures of every Apple computer ever made.

apple-history.com

An let's not forget the PC equivalent!