New M2-Powered MacBooks Could Be Conspicuously Absent At Today's Apple Event

[CWallace]

But they did exactly that with the M1, on the MacBook Pro 13".

Apple likely just swapped the M1 into the Intel chassis for flexibility and time to market reasons.

When it came time for the M1 iMac, for example, they waited some six months and released a new form factor rather than slap it in the 21.5" iMac case and include it with the MBA, Mm and MBP 13.3.

And with the M1 Pro and M1 Max launch, they introduced them with new form factor MacBook Pros.

 

[smythey]

I think we'll see an M1 Max Duo as an option in the Mac Studio later today.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

that's interesting - apple must make their presentations in a way that they can insert or remove certain topics with relative ease / smoothness.

Or it was never going to be part of today's presentation.

 

[sfwalter]

No M2s at this event would be OK, as long as we get a Mac Mini/Studio or Pro with a decent fast chip at a reasonable price.

Reasonable price. Good luck!

 

[jz0309]

long-running expectations
this is a RUMORS site, why do you build expectations based on RUMORS???
LOL

 

[DTphonehome]

Releasing the M2 at the same time as a machine with an M1 (even if it is an M1 Max/Pro) will confuse a lot of customers. Release the new machines with M1 Max/Pro, and announce the M2 at WWDC.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Seems odd to me that Apple would "Osbourne" themselves with release of a brand new shiny M2 inside an old form factor ...

I have an M1 13” MBP, if the do nothing more than update it to M2 and Thunderbolt4/USB4, I would buy one tomorrow.

 

[MayaUser]

no really? the digitimes original rumour can be wrong?
Im shooocked

 

[theluggage]

Announcing the M2 now would essentially kill their Mac Studio announcement with an M1 in it.

The Mac Studio/High End Mini isn't going to have an M1 in it. It is rumoured to have at least a M1 Pro, which probably means a M1 Max option - and possibly a new M1-based processor with even more cores (such as the rumoured M1 Max x2 package).

The M2 sounds like it's got 2 extra GPU cores and may have 50% better performance than the M1 (...and some of that potential may be used to boost battery life rather than performance)

For media-production and other multi-threaded/GPU-centric workloads the M1 Max/x2 chips - with 2-4 times the CPU cores and 2-8 times the GPU cores (...and in a case with better cooling & no battery) could still be several times faster than an M2.

The first M1 Pro machines didn't come out until 10 months after the M1. There's a naturally progression there - get the base M1 right before incorporating the same tech into a larger M1 Pro chip with double the cores to go wrong. There's quite likely going to be M2 Pro/Max/x2 at some stage, but not for months, by which time the existing M1 Macs will have gone nearly 2 years without an update & people will be speculating about the M3.

Apple have chosen a dumb naming scheme in which a M4 Pro/Max will always be followed by a less powerful regular M5 that appears while they are still mid-cycle . Deal with it.

NB: Intel's flagship workstation Xeon chips are typically a generation or two behind the Core-i chips in terms of core architecture.

 

[Shalev Lazarof]

still hope for a new 12' 1 pound M2 MacBook with a new 27' external display

 

[Mr. Dee]

I also thought it was odd they would launch M2 alongside existing M1 chips that were just launched 6 months ago.

I don’t see the entry level MacBook Pro based on the old chassis with touch bar being updated to M2 either. If anything, Apple might introduce a new entry level model MacBook Pro based on the 2021 design at a cheaper price; maybe $1,600 or $1,800 with M2 this fall. Apple will then use the redesigned MacBook Air with M2 to file the 1,100 to 1,400 gap.

 

[CarlJ]

"Conspicuously"?

And the (truth in advertising) headline afterwards will be, what, "Apple doesn't release product that they never mentioned before or after"?

Alongside, maybe, "Apple doesn't release jet pack and flying car"? "Apple doesn't release new line of combination perfume / frozen entrées"?

 

[theluggage]

It looks like MacRumors is covering the bases. Whatever Apple decides to do they have an article predicting it ???

I predict that "Apple Peek" will be a new adult service on Apple TV, while the "Mac Studio" will be a new "affordable" Apple 1 reproduction, complete with 6502 processor (I mean, look at how much those puppies are going for at auction!) with an optional $1000 case.

 

[jz0309]

This has been all over the place.

Other than a rather likely iPhone SE and maybe an iPad Air, they don't really seem to know anything. At this point, I wouldn't be shocked if there are no Mac products at all today.

Gurman shooting out to see what sticks ...

 

[ghostface147]

Will they, won't they....same ol' same ol' predictions.

 

[Ethosik]

Announcing the M2 now would essentially kill their Mac Studio announcement with an M1 in it. I’ve been waiting for a “Mac Mini Pro” machine for a while now. Sucks to try and mix in a new chip now.

Intel is catching up fast. M1 is already going on 18 months. Not announcing the M2 now would put the final nail in the Mac coffin from my opinion as I always found Mac updates to be way too slow and Apple kept blaming Intel. If Apple waits too much longer for an M1 refresh (18+ months is a LONG TIME for a processor), that will effectively mean that Apple has only themselves to blame about the lack of Mac updates throughout the years. My view on Macs were very shattered after the trash can Mac Pro and horrible 2016 Macbook Pros. I was finally starting to like Macs again with the M1, Pro, Max processors but if they delay too much, I will just be done with macs entirely at this point.

 

[skaertus]

I have been skeptical about the launch of an M2 processor before all Apple computers get the M1. The 27-inch iMac, the high-end Mac Mini, and the Mac Pro are still using Intel processors. Apple is yet to upgrade these computers to its silicon. And it will probably happen before Apple launches the 2nd gen of the M-series processors.

 

[w5jck]

Hmmm, lots of click-baiting this time around on MacRumors, MacWorld, AppleInsider, 9to5Mac, etc. I made a list of the most prevalent rumors I read about. I suspect that only a few of them, if any, will actually be announced today.

• iPhone SE 5G
• iPad Air 5 2022
• Mac Studio
• Studio Display
• 13” MacBook Pro
• Green iPhone 13
• New iPhone case colors
• Various OS release dates
• Redesigned MacBook Air with M2
• 27” iMac
• Standalone display running iOS

Ironically, the Spring Event is where new/refreshed iPad Pros get introduced, yet no one seems to have even mentioned them in their wild imaginations. We shall finally see in about two hours, then hopefully we can put the wild speculative BS to rest until WWDC when the morons will again be wildly speculating on crap they know little to nothing about.

 

[Macative]

Considering his accuracy rate is higher than many of the people who do "have sources", clearly "not having sources" is not a handicap, but perhaps a benefit.

He waits until other actual leakers release information, and he piggybacks on it by agreeing with whatever is most likely. Anyone who pays enough attention to Apple news and rumors can do what he does. He is not a source.

 

[satchmo]

that's interesting - apple must make their presentations in a way that they can insert or remove certain topics with relative ease / smoothness.

Yeah, each product is shot as a standalone module and inserted into the bigger presentation. They pretty much reinvented the art of product presentations during the COVID era.

Although I’ve seen a disconnect once or twice when the transition isn’t quite a smooth. There still needs to be a lead intro from either Cook or one of the executive VP’s to throw it over to a project manager.

 

[theluggage]

I also thought it was odd they would launch M2 alongside existing M1 chips that were just launched 6 months ago.

...because even if the M2 launches today in the low-end machines, the M2 Max/Pro versions that would be needed for any high-end Mini or Studio aren't even the subject or rumours yet and probably won't be available for another 6 months or so.

 

[jz0309]

“Conspicuously absent” only because rumor sites made up a patently stupid rumor for click bait.

Neither Gurman nor any of the other "leakers" have a clue... Apple has seriously come down on leakser and it shows

 

[Macative]

It looks like MacRumors is covering the bases. Whatever Apple decides to do they have an article predicting it ???

And will magically forget about all the ones that don't come true.

 

[Ethosik]

Releasing the M2 at the same time as a machine with an M1 (even if it is an M1 Max/Pro) will confuse a lot of customers. Release the new machines with M1 Max/Pro, and announce the M2 at WWDC.

This will cause Apple to essentially kill off the Mac line entirely. If they wait until the Mac Pro is fully transitioned, that would potentially lead to an M2 coming out 3 years after the M1. That is horrible from a processor and technology advancement perspective. Intel is already catching up FAST.

 

[Macative]

...because even if the M2 launches today in the low-end machines, the M2 Max/Pro versions that would be needed for any high-end Mini or Studio aren't even the subject or rumours yet and probably won't be available for another 6 months or so.

The M2 can launch today in low end product because it will be a modest 10-20% bump over M1, not even remotely touching the M1 Pro or M1 Max. There is no issue with any of this, and zero confusion that people pretend would exist.