To paraphrase Master Yoda:
“Old friends have learned the path to immortality. Products who have returned from the Netherworld of the Force. Your old devices. How to invoke Siri with them I will teach you.”
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Three Discontinued Apple Products Rumored to Make a Comeback
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To paraphrase Master Yoda:
“Old friends have learned the path to immortality. Products who have returned from the Netherworld of the Force. Your old devices. How to invoke Siri with them I will teach you.”
I think it needs a reset and re-launch to position it as a relatively affordable, high-quality wireless speaker system competing with other reassuringly expensive "audiophile" products - rather than the horribly overpriced "smart assistant" competing with Amazon and Google's cash registers/surveillance units (which, unfortunately, were "trending" when the HomePod launched).
Well, a revival of the 12” MacBook Air would certainly be good for all those of us in need of a great laptop for fair money, price it at 999 and I’m in!
I think bringing back the iMac Pro with M2 Pro or Max would make more sense than the Mac Pro. The type of work typically done on Mac Pro the new M-chips are really designed for, but in a self contained iMac they make sense.
While the full-size HomePod, 12-inch MacBook, and iMac Pro have all been discontinued, rumors suggest all three products could return in the future.
Keep reading for a recap of everything that we have heard so far about potential comebacks for these products and new features and changes to expect.
HomePod
Apple discontinued the full-size HomePod in March 2021, with the company deciding to focus its efforts on the HomePod mini.
Released in February 2018, the original HomePod received rave reviews for its sound quality, but its initial $349 price was significantly more expensive than competing smart speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Even after Apple lowered the HomePod's price to $299, sales of the speaker remained lackluster, according to estimates.
Since the full-size HomePod was discontinued, the speaker has fetched high prices on eBay and has become something of a collector's item.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a new HomePod with the same S8 chip rumored for the Apple Watch Series 8. Gurman said the new HomePod would be "closer to the original HomePod" than the HomePod mini in terms of size and audio performance, and added that the new HomePod will have an "updated display on top."
Gurman previously reported that Apple has also considered releasing a device that combines an Apple TV, HomePod, and FaceTime camera, but details remain slim.
12-inch MacBook
Apple discontinued its ultra-portable 12-inch MacBook in July 2019, coinciding with refreshes to the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Launched in March 2015, the 12-inch MacBook featured a thin and light design that weighed just two pounds. Key attributes of the 12-inch MacBook included a fanless design, a single USB-C port for data and charging, a new Force Touch trackpad, and an innovative battery design that allowed for a larger battery to fit inside the notebook.
A big reason why the 12-inch MacBook was discontinued is because many customers found it to be underpowered. The original 12-inch MacBook was equipped with a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor, and while later models included up to a Core i7 processor, Intel processors were simply a poor match for the notebook's thin and light design.
With the transition to Apple silicon chips in the Mac, however, the 12-inch MacBook could easily make a comeback. Last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was considering launching an all-new 12-inch notebook by 2024, but it is unclear if the notebook would be a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro.
iMac Pro
Apple discontinued the iMac Pro in March 2021. At the time, Apple said the 27-inch iMac was the preferred choice for the vast majority of pro iMac users, and added that customers who needed even more performance and expandability could choose the Mac Pro. Apple has since discontinued the 27-inch iMac as well, leaving the colorful 24-inch iMac with the M1 chip as the only all-in-one desktop computer in the Mac lineup.
Released in December 2017, the iMac Pro received no substantial hardware refreshes over its lifetime, which resulted in the 27-inch iMac eventually becoming faster and more affordable than the standard iMac Pro configuration.
Rumors have persisted about the iMac Pro making a comeback with Apple silicon chips. In his newsletter last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he still believes a larger iMac or iMac Pro is in the works and "could arrive as early as next year." Based on that timeframe, the computer could be powered by M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.
Article Link: Three Discontinued Apple Products Rumored to Make a Comeback
I think Apple should use the M-chip and make blade computers and design a fast backbone for the blades to work over. That would make for a interesting new Mac Pro.
Current or past owner of all three and would buy them again in a heartbeat.
I warmly welcome these three back!
And I would buy them all — except this economy is making it nearly impossible to make any “want” purchases. I’ll just live vicariously.
And I would buy them all — except this economy is making it nearly impossible to make any “want” purchases. I’ll just live vicariously.
The 12 inch MacBook was awesome. The biggest issue was Intel processors were extremely slow. ASi has completely changed the game.
This machine with M2 forward would be outright amazing.
Same thickness and design as new MBA measuring in at around 12.2-12.4”, with MagSafe and 2 TB4 ports would be outright phenomenal.
It needs to be branded as a MBA this time, leaving room for a MacBook or MacBook Studio for the rumored 15” with a single fan design replacing 13.3”MBP with M2.
This machine with M2 forward would be outright amazing.
Same thickness and design as new MBA measuring in at around 12.2-12.4”, with MagSafe and 2 TB4 ports would be outright phenomenal.
It needs to be branded as a MBA this time, leaving room for a MacBook or MacBook Studio for the rumored 15” with a single fan design replacing 13.3”MBP with M2.
The MBA already has a good price point so a 12" machine would have to be considerably less to justify it. If they price it the same do you really want to pay that money for a machine that's only an inch smaller?
So maybe the HomePod will make its return before the mini is made available by Apple here in Sweden 😂
Having both 9 year old MBA 11 and 13 computers, I love the smaller for picking up and carrying around. The widescreen was good for movies but not so great for productivity apps. But it's been a great device for travel to collect emails. Initially the 13" with SD card was a sometimes useful added function too. Both still power up and are workable for light tasks too. Theyve fared much better than Windows laptops I had from that time...
Recent upgrade to a new MBA and loving the new form factor and speed.
An MBA 12" in new form factor could easily be good for those with fond MBA 11" memories.
Reduced bezels could make it even more portable. But needs 2 USB C ports this time with MagSafe charger.
Didnt they upgrade both with Swedish today? So perhaps the Mini is coming sooner than you think.
Apple could put an iPhone dock on a new HomePod to play lossless…
I got a HomePod from The Source. I returned it because it lacked BlueTooth and it did not sound better than my bookshelf speakers.
I got a HomePod from The Source. I returned it because it lacked BlueTooth and it did not sound better than my bookshelf speakers.
That's actually a popular opinion. And the iMac looks way better for half the price.
The screen is only an inch smaller, but the machine is way thinner and lighter.
I really hope the full sized HomePod makes a comeback.
Good grief, MacRumors.com staff, let these three go already! They're not coming back!
27" IMac, never going to happen, not with the Mac Studio, and stand alone monitors. Just no point. 12" MB, again a non-starter.
It would be nice for apple to get back into the router business especially with matter but that seems like a stretch.
I love my homepods (and mini) and would love something in the middle for that $150-$200 price range. Hoping my OG homepods keep chugging along for a long time because they work great connected to my TV.