Release timeframe for MBP and iMac?

[jent]

I was happy to see last week's refresh of the MacBook Air and Mac mini, and was wondering when you think the other Macs are due for an update. According to the MacRumors Buyers' Guide, the iMac should be having updates soon and is around it's normal timeframe for a new model.

The MacBook Pro and iMac Pro are listed as "caution," and I figure if they were set to be updated anytime soon it would have been together with the MacBook Air and Mac mini. Based on rumors, history, the Buyers' Guide, and more, when do you think these other Macs will get their next update?

Same question for the Apple TV—the consensus seems to be that the Apple TV 4K does everything great despite being years old, but I'm also thinking Apple would want to at least give it a spec bump and better prep it for Apple Arcade.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

No one knows other than the folks at Apple.

You could take a guess like anyone else, but it would only be a guess.

That said, there are often hardware announcements around WWDC (normally early June). There are usually some in the fall.

This year is harder to speculate because of supply issues caused by COVID-19 shutting down suppliers and manufacturing lines in China and other places in Southeast Asia.

The MacBook Pro and iMac Pro are listed as "caution," and I figure if they were set to be updated anytime soon it would have been together with the MacBook Air and Mac mini.

Apple normally does not refresh every product line in their entire Mac family at the same time.

The Mac mini really wasn't an upgrade anyhow. It was just a storage increase at the same price, no new functionality, no change in performance.

 

[hobowankenobi]

I would only add that Apple also seems to try to get updates out before the back-to-school push (early to mid-summer) generally, and then before black Friday (early fall).

I would guess they would planning for April-June for the next Mac updates. Only a guess. I do think they would want to transition away from the butterfly keyboard ASAP...so sooner rather than later.

 

[jent]

I would only add that Apple also seems to try to get updates out before the back-to-school push (early to mid-summer) generally, and then before black Friday (early fall).

I would guess they would planning for April-June for the next Mac updates. Only a guess. I do think they would want to transition away from the butterfly keyboard ASAP...so sooner rather than later.

Well said. To me the new MacBook Air and the current MacBook Pro are too similar and Apple needs to now refresh the MBP line to better distinguish them.