Several Apple devices are over 18 months old, and with new hardware that could bring valuable improvements to them on the horizon, there are five important products that seem to be outdated.
There are at least five main Apple devices that seem to be in need of a refresh, where a new model could yield substantial improvements. As time goes by, it becomes harder for Apple to justify leaving these devices out in the cold.
Refer to the MacRumors Buyer's Guide for constant updates on the age and status of all Apple's released products, as well as when updates can reasonably be expected on the basis of when new models came out in the past.
The current model was released in April 2021.
The M1 chip in the iMac is outdated compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air, and the iPad Pro. The iMac is ripe for a chip upgrade due to the fact that three different devices now contain the chip.
According to reports from Mark Gurman, an iMac with the M2 chip is not going to happen. Following the M2 series of Macs, Gurman said a new iMac will be among the first M3 series of Macs, which will include an updated 13-inch MacBook Air, and possibly a new 12-inch notebook.
Unlike the M1 and M2 which are built using a 5nanometer process, the M3 is expected to be built on TSMC's 3nanometer technology. Performance and efficiency are expected to improve with the more advanced manufacturing process.
The device is expected to be the successor to the current M1 iMac and may not launch until late 2023 at the earliest according to Gurman. Since the current M1 model would be around for a long time, it is not clear why Apple would exclude the iMac from the M2 chip.
December 2020 is the current model's release date.
Almost two years have passed since the launch of the AirPods Max. The second-generation of the AirPods Pro was released earlier this year, but the AirPods Max misses out on a lot of features.
There are a lot of notable features that are yet to come to the AirPods Max. The headphones could benefit from a refreshed selection of colors, as well as sweat and water resistance.
At the moment, no one knows the status of the next-gen AirPods Max. Gurman said in May of 2016 that Apple was not working on a second-gen AirPods Max. The AirPods Max could be the next product to get a refresh.
The current model was released in 2020.
Like the iMac, the M1 Mac mini could benefit from an upgrade to the M2 chip.
Apple has neglected to add an M2 chip to the Mac mini. According to reports earlier this year, Apple had plans to introduce new Mac mini models in 2022, but they were probably scrapped in favor of the all-new Mac studio. There is a rumor that a new Mac mini with the M2 chip is in the works.
The current model was released in December.
One of the last Intel-based Mac models still on sale is the Mac Pro. An all-new model that brings Apple Silicon to the company's top tier Mac aimed professionals has been anticipated for over two years. "That's for another day," Apple said at its "Peek Performance" event earlier this year.
It was difficult to know what the future of the high-end Mac Pro line would be because of reports about a smaller Mac Pro model placed between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro.
There are multiple reports from Mark Gurman about the chip options and specifications of the Apple Mac Pro. Users will be able to set the new Mac Pro with M2 Ultra and M2 Extreme chip options according to Gurman.
The device's design, ports, performance, and potential for customization are not currently known. The Apple Mac Pro is expected to be introduced next year along with a "pro" version of the studio display with a mini-LED panel.
The current model was released in October of last year.
The entry level Mac mini has an Intel processor, while the high end Mac mini has an Intel processor. When Apple doubled the storage on the Mac mini, it was supposed to be refreshed in 2020, but it is not.
A new Mac mini is thought to be in the works. The potential of replacing the older high-end model with an Apple Silicon machine was previously at the center of rumors related to new Mac minis, but now it appears that both the entry-level and the high-end model may be refreshed simultaneously. There are two versions of the next-gen Mac mini, one with the standard "M2 chip" and another with the "M2 Pro" chip, according to reports.
A new high-end Mac mini with Apple Silicon could have a lot of benefits compared to the current model. A redesign is possible. Two years after the entry-level Mac mini was refreshed, the high-end Mac mini seems to be the most in need of a hardware refresh.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
