It has come to light that Apple is planning to release new Macs equipped with the next-generation M4 chip from late 2024 through 2025. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the iMac, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini will arrive with the M4 chip series within 2024, while the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro are also expected to be updated in 2025. It also appears that one of these models may undergo a major design change.
Focus on Performance Improvements to Support Apple Intelligence
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported new information about the upcoming Mac lineup, based on information he says he obtained from multiple reliable sources. According to this, Macs equipped with M4 will begin appearing from late 2024.
In late 2024, the iMac, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini are expected to be the first to arrive with the M4 chip. These models appear to focus on improving internal performance to support Apple Intelligence. However, an interesting change is expected for the iMac in particular. Currently, the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad that come with the iMac use Lightning ports, but these are likely to transition to USB-C ports. This aligns with Apple's ongoing move away from the Lightning connector.
Regarding the performance of the M4 chip family, it has already been used in the new iPad Pro, and as various benchmarks have shown, it offers significant improvements compared to the M3. The same trend is expected to basically hold true for the Mac versions as well, with particularly notable improvements expected in graphics processing capability and Neural Engine performance.
In 2025, further product updates are planned. The MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro are expected to arrive with the M4 chip that year. The Mac Pro update, in particular, is worth noting. The current Mac Pro has retained the 2019 model's design even after the transition to Apple silicon, leaving much of its internal space unused. With the M4 generation, it's likely that a new design optimized for the characteristics of Apple silicon will be adopted.
Also of interest in this report is the information that Gurman conveys about "at least one Mac model undergoing a more dramatic change." While it's unclear specifically which model will receive such changes, the Mac mini is considered the most likely candidate. Since the Mac mini's basic design has remained unchanged since 2010, a major overhaul seems quite possible. However, there are also indications that the MacBook Pro could receive a significant design change in its next update.
These updates are expected to strengthen Apple's overall Mac lineup and provide users with more choices. The performance improvements from the M4 chip are anticipated to enhance the Mac's competitiveness in fields requiring high processing power, such as creative work, software development, and scientific computing. At the same time, a major design change in at least one model could become an additional selling point for existing users, as well as an important factor in differentiating from competitors.
Furthermore, these updates could also have an impact on Apple's overall ecosystem. The M4 chip's enhanced AI processing capabilities may expand the possibilities for new macOS features and third-party applications, potentially creating new opportunities to improve the user experience.
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