In a few weeks, Apple will unveil the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series X, possibly new AirPods, and an iPad or two. But a new report claims that won’t be all: a new Mac lineup could also be on the way.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning a series of updates this year to accommodate the M4 chip, including the Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro. He notes that the Mac Studio, Mac Pro, and MacBook Air will also get M4 chips, but not until 2025.
Last year, Apple held its Scary Fast event in late October to introduce the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, which were included in the MacBook Pro updates. The iMac was also updated at the same event, though none of the new machines received any upgrades beyond the chip. Additionally, the MacBook Air’s M3 upgrade earlier this year was little more than a spec bump.
The Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro still use M2 chips, so this could be the first time that all of Apple’s Macs use the same generation of processors.
While the upgrades will likely focus on the M4 chip’s new capabilities and its effect on Apple Intelligence in macOS 15, “at least one Mac model will get more dramatic changes,” Gurman reports. He doesn’t specify which model or what the changes will be, but only a few of Apple’s current Macs make sense.
The MacBook Air just got a major redesign last year with a new 15-inch model, so it’s highly unlikely that another redesign is on the way, and the same goes for the Mac Studio, which has only been on shelves for about two years.
The iMac is also unlikely to see a radical redesign since it was just redesigned in 2021, but Apple could change the colors and add a Pro model. And the Mac Pro has had the same design since 2019 despite the switch to Apple silicon.
But the most likely candidate for a “radical change” is the Mac mini. Apple hasn’t changed the design of the Mac mini since 2018, and rumors have swirled for years that the company is working on a redesign of the small desktop computer. And since all Mac accessories still have Lightning ports, Apple could take the opportunity to also launch a new Magic Mouse, keyboard, and trackpad.
