Will Apple Release New Macs Soon? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

[docbop]

Apple often releases new Macs in the fall, but whether that will happen this year is far from certain. It's the second week of October now, and if Apple plans to launch Macs before the holidays, recent history suggests it will happen this month. Here's what we know so far.

It's been over 120 days since Apple released a new Mac, the last being M2 versions of the Mac Pro, Mac Studio, and 15-inch MacBook Air, all of which arrived in June. Prior to that, in January, Apple released M2 Pro and M2 Max versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, alongside new M2-powered Mac mini models.

Meanwhile, the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro haven't been updated in over 450 days, and the iMac hasn't seen an update in over 880 days (Apple unveiled the M1 24-inch iMac way back in April 2021). It's these last three models that are most due updates, but that's not to say Apple will prioritize them for updates over other Macs.

If you look at the last decade, Apple often holds an annual fall event in which it launches new Macs and iPads. While Apple that didn't happen last year, there were October events in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently told The MacRumors Show that he does not expect Apple to hold an October event because the company does not have enough new products and features to justify it.

However, that doesn't mean we won't be seeing any more new Macs from Apple this year. Apple could choose to release new models via press release instead, like it did in January 2023 for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. At the same time, Apple may not have any new models forthcoming this side of Christmas 2023. So what do the rumors say?

Mac Pro, Mac Studio, MacBook Air

It's worth repeating that Apple this year has already updated the Mac Pro, Mac Studio, and 15-inch MacBook Air. These updates were released in June 2023, so there is little chance that they will be superseded by newer models before 2024.

However, Apple has not yet updated the smaller 13-inch MacBook Air this year. This model was originally announced in June 2022, so there is scope for a refresh soon. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the 13-inch MacBook Air could be one of the first beneficiaries of Apple's new M3 chip, but it is unclear if this upgrade will arrive in late 2023 or early 2024.

Mac Mini, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro

Apple updated the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January, and most rumors suggest refreshed models are coming next year. According to Gurman, the next version of these two machines are expected to feature M3 Pro and M3 Max chips and will "probably" launch by the middle of 2024 at the latest.

On the other hand, a supply chain report in October claimed that Apple is preparing to release new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with more power-efficient mini-LED displays before the year is out.

As for the Mac mini, Apple updated the machine with M2 chips in January 2023, while M3-powered models are not expected to emerge until late 2024 at the earliest, according to Gurman.

iMac, 13-inch MacBook Pro

That leaves the iMac and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Apple's 24-inch iMac was refreshed with a new design, M1 chips, and new color options in April 2021. While the ‌iMac‌ did not receive an upgrade to the M2 chip this year, a refreshed model with the M3 chip is expected to launch soon, potentially towards the end of this year.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated with the M2 chip in June 2022, so this is another model that could see an upgrade soon, possibly later this year.

With that said, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in September claimed that Apple is unlikely to release any new MacBook models with the M3 chip this year. However, Kuo only ruled out new MacBooks, so there is still potential for a new iMac this year.

Summing Up

As things stand, we could still see at least one Mac with a new M3 chip before the end of the year. The as-yet-unannounced M3 chip is widely expected to be fabricated with TSMC's 3nm process for significant performance and power efficiency improvements compared to the current 5nm-based M2 chip, which debuted in June 2022.

Given that Apple launched new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in January, and more recently new 15-inch MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models in June, Gurman believes the first beneficiaries of the new M3 chip will be the next iMac, 13-inch MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Gurman has said that if these products do come out in 2023, Apple is likely to unveil them via press release rather than with an event.

Lastly, MacRumors received information in early October indicating that Apple was preparing to accept some of its latest Mac models for trade-in, suggesting it may be proceeding with plans to release new Mac models. Whether this correlates with the launch of at least one new machine around mid-October however remains to be seen.

Article Link: Will Apple Release New Macs Soon? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

I'm a longtime user of 27" iMac and would love to buy a M-chip version of one. The iMac is a great package of excellent screen, power, and ports in a package that doesn't take a lot of desktop space. Come on Apple give us a upgraded 27" iMac.

 

[city_17]

Hoping for a new iMac release, because I'm expecting that's when they'll start releasing accessories with USB-C.

Managed to spill a drink over my Magic Keyboard recently and it's working so-so now, would really like to replace it, but trying to hold off for the USB-C version.

 

[city_17]

It moves so fast that the $1599 Studio Display mounts the same panel as the original 2014 Retina iMac... and you could buy that same panel for $999 in 2016 as the LG UltraFine 5K.

Monitors are absolutely the slowest aging tech. Also high-end monitors from a decade or more ago, will still blow out of the water cheap models from the current market.

While that's true for the past 10 years, we're now in a period where there will actually be significant upgrades with the move to miniLED and OLED currently, and microLed in a few years. Those miniLED and OLED upgrades alone are worth the wait, and 10x more impressive than what has happened with monitors in the last 10 years.

 

[SamRyouji]

You realize you'd posting to a site named MacRumors, right?

I do. Hence I keep coming back here no matter how tired I am. It's intoxicating, intriguing, and sprinkles shimmer of hope to my soul. ❤️

 

[OrenLindsey]

32 inch, 6k, ProMotion Mini-Led iMac with M3 Ultra chip please!! That would be soo good

 

[brofkand]

To exceed USB-C 480Mbps data speeds will require a A17 Pro chip.

How is that true when the 2021 iPad mini has 5Gbps USB-C speeds using an A15 Bionic, and the 2020 iPad Air had 5 or 10Gbps USB-C speeds using an A14 Bionic.

 

[trusso]

I’d say it’s not out of the question we get an M2 iMac. I know some people would groan and roll their eyes, but it’s Apple’s low-end all-in-one, so it’s not like it needs the latest and greatest.

I don’t know any more than the rest of you, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. And for most it would be more than adequate.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

I would LOVE a white MBA, even with white bezels and notch and all. And an all-white iMac too.

I'm an (old) old-school-Apple white fan.

 

[sack_peak]

How is that true when the 2021 iPad mini has 5Gbps USB-C speeds using an A15 Bionic, and the 2020 iPad Air had 5 or 10Gbps USB-C speeds using an A14 Bionic.

As it has a larger logicboard it likely has a chip outside of the A14 or A15 to allow such speeds.

 

[city_17]

32 inch, 6k, ProMotion Mini-Led iMac with M3 Ultra chip please!! That would be soo good

Starting at $5000?

 

[sack_peak]

Starting at $5000?

That isn't outside of reality.

2017 iMac Pro Xeon had a base price of $4999.

The Xeon equivalent to Mac chips is the M3 Ultra that is found in a $3999 2024 Mac Studio.

It would become reality when Apple manages to procure 32" 6K display parts at under $1000.

For over 4 years it has not gone down that low yet.

12 months from now it is possible that will occur.

 

[Warped9]

I’d say it’s not out of the question we get an M2 iMac. I know some people would groan and roll their eyes, but it’s Apple’s low-end all-in-one, so it’s not like it needs the latest and greatest.

I don’t know any more than the rest of you, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. And for most it would be more than adequate.

There are no indications whatsoever iMac is getting M2. And if it does then it’s a piss poor effort and neglect on Apple’s part after two damned years of zero upgrades.

 

[gpat]

That isn't outside of reality.

2017 iMac Pro Xeon had a base price of $4999.

The Xeon equivalent to Mac chips is the M3 Ultra that is found in a $3999 2024 Mac Studio.

It would become reality when Apple manages to procure 32" 6K display parts at under $1000.

For over 4 years it has not gone down that low yet.

12 months from now it is possible that will occur.

iMac Pro was a stopgap product. No way it succeeds again in the lineup with a much more focused Pro product, which the Mac Studio is.

There are no signs of the 6K panels decreasing in price. They remain extremely niche. The Lifewire article is pure speculation pulled out of thin air much like these threads.

If the iMac gets back some attention, it will be as a consumer product, typical desktop to be put on offices, schools, households, light Pro workflows when you can eschew some functionality in favor of elegance.

$1500-$2500 has always been its historical price bracket outside of BTOs and entry level specs.

They just need to fix the main issues with the current 24", which has sub-par screen real estate, no choice of Pro chips (or even current chips for that matter), and also there's no way anybody will accept USB-C only in a desktop when both the Mini, Studio and even the Macbooks offer so much more.

The old 27" with Mx/Pro/Max configurations would've been so fine, and also effortless.

Also, and I know I'll get hate on this, nobody really needs a colored computer in 2023.
It was fine in 1997 when Apple had to get back some attention on the market.
When Jobs presented the graphite iMac in 1999, the market jumped on it as soon as it could.
By 2001, you had the iMac in only Snow, Graphite and Indigo, and the rest is history.

Bring Midnight and Starlight to the iMac, or even the basic silver-and-black.
That off-white bezel was a monstrosity in 2021, and it still is.

 

[sack_peak]

iMac Pro was a stopgap product. No way it succeeds again in the lineup with a much more focused Pro product, which the Mac Studio is.

OrenLindsey wanted one so I pointed to a previous product that was market studied to be feasible.

I pointed to the business conditions for it to happen.

The 32"6K display part must be less than $1000.

There are no signs of the 6K panels decreasing in price. They remain extremely niche. The Lifewire article is pure speculation pulled out of thin air much like these threads.

We're on MacRumors. At least 20% of the content here leads to an actual product release.

The basis of Lifewire article is Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that was parroted by MacRumors as well.

$1500-$2500 has always been its historical price bracket outside of BTOs and entry level specs.

Below are the historical prices of the last 27" Macs

2020 iMac 27" 5K Intel 14nm	Price	2024 iMac M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max 3nm
iMac "Core i5" 3.1 27"	$1,799	M3
iMac "Core i5" 3.3 27"	$1,999	M3
iMac "Core i7" 3.8 27"	$2,299	M3 Pro
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"	$2,499	M3 Max
iMac "Core i7" 3.8 27"; 5700/XT	$2,599	M3 Pro
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"	$2,699	M3 Max
iMac "Core i7" 3.8 27"; 5700/XT	$2,799	M3 Pro
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"; 5700/XT	$2,999	M3 Max
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"; 5700/XT	$3,199	M3 Max
2017 iMac Pro 27" 5K Xeon 14nm	Price	2024 iMac M3 Ultra 3nm
iMac Pro "8-Core" 3.2 27"	$4,999	M3 Ultra
iMac Pro "10-Core" 3.0 27"	$5,799	M3 Ultra
iMac Pro "14-Core" 2.5 27"	$6,999	M3 Ultra
iMac Pro "18-Core" 2.3 27"	$7,399	M3 Ultra

As shown the price ranges from $1799 to $7,399

 

[gpat]

OrenLindsey wanted one so I pointed to a previous product that was market studied to be feasible.

I pointed to the business conditions for it to happen.

The 32"6K display part must be less than $1000.

We're on MacRumors. At least 20% of the content here leads to an actual product release.

The basis of Lifewire article is Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that was parroted by MacRumors as well.


Below are the historical prices of the last 27" Macs

As shown the price ranges from $1799 to $7,399

You should not consider BTOs as they make up a very small share of sales.
Also iMac Pro was a stopgap, like I've said.

I wouldn't focus so much on possible price lists, we should ask: why didn't the iMac even receive the M2 chip?
Would've required a really minor investment from Apple, that's for sure.

And the only possible answer is: sales figures were so bad that they couldn't even justify that effort.
They flopped on the design much like they did with the 2013 Mac Pro, that remained on the market unupgraded for a really long time.

Now they can't bring the old 27" design as they would admit failure that way.
And they can't even justify investing in a new design because the Mac Mini Pro + Studio combo makes most users happy.

So my speculation is that we'll see minimal effort from Apple for the iMac until they have figured out what to do with it.

 

[trusso]

There are no indications whatsoever iMac is getting M2. And if it does then it’s a piss poor effort and neglect on Apple’s part after two damned years of zero upgrades.

Like I said, I know no more than the rest of you. But if Apple wanted to slap an M2 into the iMac to say they upgraded it (which would not be factually wrong) they could choose to do so. And I think the target market for the iMac would have almost no qualms about it. Sure, the tech reviewers and rumor website readers would blast them - but we're a drop in the bucket. That's all I'm saying.

 

[picpicmac]

I just can't see Apple undermining the appeal of the rest of the Mac lineup by rolling out ONE model with M3 going into the most lucrative season of the year.

But the M1 was introduced when the rest of the Mac lineup was still on Intel chips. It took a year to rollover the designs, ignoring the Mac Pro, for which it took over two years.

 

[picpicmac]

the ultra-small form factor PC clipped into the back of a special monitor stand

Thing is, Intel decided to get out of the NUC business. Yes, ASUS has apparently licensed the designs and part of that contract apparently is that ASUS will service the existing NUCs, but still, NUCs are now ASUS.

ASUS and others have made small boxes to house PC guts, though I'm never impressed by the quality of these small boxes. Mac Mini are just better from industrial design.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

But the M1 was introduced when most of the rest of the Mac lineup was still on Intel chips. It took a year to rollover the designs, ignoring the Mac Pro, for which it took over two years.

Yes, but whether M3 debuts in October or starts in Jan-Mar doesn’t have to change any perceived historical pattern.

And I don’t think we can actually infer any pattern after only 2 iterations.

 

[Squillace]

It's beyond me why we don't even have a 27" version. I know a couple of people who will not upgrade untill the screen gets bigger

Actually... I don't mind the 27", I think it's a very good size and I don't really need more.

That being said, I can't wait to replace my Late 2015 27" iMac, which I love but is getting old, but Apple don't seem to be in a rush to release a new 27" iMac or bigger. I don't want a 24", a Mac mini requires me to also buy a monitor and the same goes with the Mac Studio (both these options being way over my limit because of the need of a monitor).

Come on Apple! Give us that 27/32" iMac !

 

[4tune8chance]

It's beyond me why we don't even have a 27" version. I know a couple of people who will not upgrade untill the screen gets bigger

You can add me to that list. Just can’t go back to a 22 after years on a 27.

 

[Chuckeee]

I don't want a 24", a Mac mini requires me to also buy a monitor and the same goes with the Mac Studio (both these options being way over my limit because of the need of a monitor).

That is true if you limit your self to an Apple display. A new M2 Mac mini and a new 3rd party 27” display can easily be less than the cost of a new 24” M1 iMac.

 

[CoMoMacUser]

It's beyond me why we don't even have a 27" version. I know a couple of people who will not upgrade untill the screen gets bigger

That's why I finally gave up a year ago and bought a Studio.

 

[Macbudinc]

27 imac or 32' please!! Base HD being 1TB with base ram set at 16gig, More ports please no skimping on the ports and full size/Compact keyboard wired and wireless options at checkout.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

It's a very strong maybe.