Apple is preparing for its next fleet of laptops and desktops as it moves into the second phase of custom silicon-powered Mac products, a new report from Bloomberg say.
The company is reportedly preparing the next generation of M2 chips and testing at least nine Macs with four different versions of the processor with third-party apps in the App Store, according to developer logs revealed by Bloomberg and “confirmed by people familiar with the matter.” particular phase of the development process suggests that the upcoming systems may be released in the coming months.
The data obtained by Bloomberg gives us an idea of what M2-powered products we can expect during the year; it shows MacBook Air, Mac miniMacBook Pro entry-level, MacBook Pro 14, MacBook Pro 16 and Mac Pro which are currently being tested. Apple is reportedly also tinkering with a Mac mini running on an M1 Pro chip, an update that could close the gap between the current mini and the recently released Mac Studio.
Taking a closer look at each of these devices, the long-awaited MacBook Air, which is set to replace the current one M1-powered system, will be equipped with an M2 processor consisting of 8 CPU and 10 GPU cores. Apple’s entry-level MacBook Pro and diminutive desktop, the Mac mini, will share the same chip, though a Mac mini with an M1 Pro chip is also an option.
MacBook Pro 14 and Pro 16 will be offered with M2 Pro or M2 Max chips, just like the current M1 configurations. The engine that powers these notebooks will reportedly have 12 CPU cores and 38 graphics cores, up from 10 CPU and 32 GPU cores in today’s models. Second-generation chips will double memory support from 32 GB to 64 GB. While we’re talking about memory, there’s no word yet on whether the MacBook Air will support 32GB of RAM, like some of its ultra-thin Windows competitors.
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Specific release dates were not disclosed; Bloomberg says, however, that the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro at launch and the Mac mini could debut later this year with two systems scheduled to launch “around the middle of the year.” We have the track MacBook Air rumors for some time, and expect a significant overhaul for the next version, which will reportedly showcase a new design and fresh color options.
Apple’s upcoming M2 chips will replace the current M1 components, the company’s first attempt to make home-grown Mac processors. The first chips have been widely praised for their industry-leading power and efficiency, a one-to-punch that has radically transformed Apple’s stagnant MacBook offering and rejuvenated its space efforts.
It’s rare that we get such an extensive information leak about upcoming Apple products, especially with concrete evidence to support it. We have not verified the claims ourselves, but developer logs from third-party apps have previously been accurate predictors of upcoming hardware.
That said, most of the details revealed in this info dump are pretty predictable. Apple looks set to mirror last year’s timeline by releasing four different chips, an M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max and M2 Ultra, and just replace the old with the new. What may break this pattern is a Mac mini running on a more powerful M2 Pro processor, an update that would satisfy users who do not want to lose two big on a basic Mac Studio.
And let’s not forget the Mac Pro, a powerful $ 6,000 + desktop that somehow still runs on Intel processors. Updates to these two desktops would be essential for another reason: with the 27-inch iMac missing in action, an M-powered Mac Pro and advanced Mac mini are all it takes to complete Apple’s transition away from Intel.