Although Apple silicon has done great things for the Mac, Apple has yet to nail down a predictable update cycle for its Mac line. Along with changing release schedules, each generation of chips has skipped a model for no clear reason.
The high-end Mac Pro and Mac mini never received the M1 chip. The iMac completely ignored the M2. And the M3 didn’t arrive on the Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro. But a new report claims that the M4 will finally put the entire Mac lineup on equal footing, as Apple plans to update its entire catalog with the next-generation chip.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the M4 rollout will begin later this year and continue through 2025. Here’s when the new models are expected to arrive:
- End of 2024 (M4): Entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro
- End of 2024 (M4): 24-inch iMac
- Late 2024/early 2025 (M4 Pro/M4 Max): MacBook Pro 14 and 16 inches
- Late 2024/early 2025 (M4/M4 Pro): Mac-mini
- Early 2025 (M4): MacBook Air 13-inch and 15-inch
- Mid-2025 (M4 Max/M4 Ultra): Mac Studio
- End of 2025 (M4 Ultra): Mac Pro
The timeline here indicates that Apple is looking to establish an annual update model for the Mac, much like the iPhone and Apple Watch. A late 2024 iMac and MacBook Pro release would take place 12 months after the M3 models, while the M4 MacBook Airs would also arrive around a year after the M3 models.
Separating the entry-level MacBook Pro from the high-end models would be a curious move, although Apple may want to stagger the chips and separate the M4 Pro/Max from the M4 to give the high-end machines their own spotlight. It also makes sense to separate the Mac Studio from the Mac Pro, as they are marketed to different audiences despite having similar specifications.
A report last week claimed that the M4 chip would be AI-focused, which likely means that some newer features in macOS 15 will require a Mac with an M4 chip. Apple will unveil the latest macOS features at WWDC in June, but some features could be held back until new chips are revealed later this year, similar to how Apple handles iPhone releases.
