by Juli Clover
It’s almost September, but Apple still has multiple new product launches planned for 2024. New iPhone 16 models and Apple Watches are coming in September, and we’re also going to get at least three Mac updates with M4 chips this year, according to rumors.
Here’s what’s on the horizon.
MacBook Pro
Apple plans to refresh both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4 chips. The MacBook Pro lineup was last updated in October 2023, so the machines are due for a yearly refresh.
Apple did away with the 13-inch MacBook Pro last year, so there’s now an entry-level 14-inch model, and that’s what’s going to get the standard M4 chip that was used in the iPad Pro.
Middle tier and higher-end 14-inch models will get the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, as will the 16-inch models. The M4 chips are built on the 3-nanometer process, but compared to the M3 chips, they have improved performance, efficiency, and AI capabilities. Apple introduced a new, more powerful Neural Engine.
There are no design updates expected for the MacBook Pro models this year, with Apple focusing on internal improvements. Specifically, the M4 chip will be the star of the upgrade, and Apple is aiming to get its entire Mac lineup on the same M4 chip series across 2024 and 2025.
Mac mini
Unlike the MacBook Pro, Apple does have a design refresh planned for the Mac mini. According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the Mac mini will be Apple’s smallest computer to date, even smaller than the prior-generation version.
It is expected to be around the size of the Apple TV, though it will be thicker than the Apple TV and the current Mac mini, which is 1.4 inches tall. The machine will continue to be made from aluminum, just in an overall smaller package.
Apple has tested Mac mini models that have at least three USB-C ports, along with an HDMI port and a power cable.
Apple plans to use the M4 and M4 Pro chips for the Mac mini models, and since these never got an M3 update, they’ll go from M2 to M4 and will see some notable performance improvements.
iMac
The 24-inch iMac is also expected to see an update this year, going from the M3 chip to the M4 chip. Design changes are not rumored for the iMac, so we can expect to see the same 24-inch display with multiple color options.
Apple is still exploring a version of the iMac with a larger ~30-inch display, but an iMac with a bigger display is not expected in 2024, and it’s not clear if it will come in 2025, either.
Possible Launch Timeline
Apple does not typically unveil Macs at its September events, which focus on the iPhone and the Apple Watch. We’re expecting Apple to hold an event around September 10 to unveil new iPhone 16 models, but Macs will likely come later in the year.
When Apple has Macs to unveil around fall, it often introduces the machines in October or November. Last year, for example, Apple held a Mac-centric event in October to refresh the MacBook Pro and iMac. October/November events aren’t as consistent as iPhone events, so nailing down a target date is tougher. Apple has held second fall events on these dates in the past:
- October 30, 2023 – Scary Fast event with MacBook Pro and iMac.
- October 18, 2021 – Unleashed event with new MacBook Pro models and AirPods 3.
- November 10, 2020 – One More Thing event with M1 MacBook Air, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro.
- October 30, 2018 – Apple refreshed the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and iPad Pro.
- October 27, 2016 – Apple unveiled a new MacBook Pro and Apple TV app.
Apple could also skip an event and unveil the new Macs with a press release, though the small event we got last year for the M3 MacBook Pro and iMac models could be repeated in 2024.
Macs Coming in 2025
While the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini are expected to get the M4 chip before the end of the year, M4 updates for the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro won’t be happening until 2025.
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