We're just 27 days into 2023, and Apple has already announced three new Mac products. That's nearly 40% of the current Mac lineup, which suggests Mac releases will be few and far between for the rest of the year.
However, the rare January Mac releases of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros for 2023, and M2 Mac mini machines, could also hint that Cupertino wants to clear the path for something entirely new between now and December.
Which way are things heading with Mac in 2023? Let's take a look.
The newest products
Recently, Apple has introduced new versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini. All three products bring the Apple M2 Pro chip to the table for the first time; the MacBook Pro models are also offered with the new M2 Max chip.
The new Macs are now available to purchase, and these devices shouldn't see another update before the end of 2023.
What's (possibly) still to come?
With history and shifting Apple rumors as guides, it's possible to project what else Apple has planned for Mac in 2023. Some projections are more likely than others, however.
Mac Pro: More than three years have passed since Apple last updated this beast. Since then, Apple has ditched Intel-based processors on every Mac — except the Mac Pro. However, that should change in June at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which should kick off on Monday, June 5. On that day, a Mac Pro with Apple silicon should debut — and given Apple's already teased this one, we'd be stunned if it didn't make an appearance.
Recent rumors suggest the next-generation Mac Pro will look like the current model but offer fewer upgrade options due to Apple silicon limitations.
Likelihood of seeing a new Mac Pro in 2023: 90%.
There's a 1-in-10 chance Apple never releases a new Mac Pro with Apple silicon, which would no doubt upset the professional Mac community.
MacBook Air: Yes, it seems it was only yesterday when the best Mac and best MacBook was released. And yet, Apple could launch a successor to the M2 MacBook Air as early as this fall — or maybe even two new Air devices.
Rumors have long suggested a 15-inch MacBook Air could eventually arrive. Whether this would join or replace a brand-new 13.6-inch MacBook Air on the market remains to be seen. A MacBook Air (2023) will likely feature an Apple M3 chip, new color choices, and more goodies.
Likelihood of seeing a new MacBook Air in 2023: 80%.
Unforeseen supply issues are the only thing that would keep Apple from launching at least one new MacBook Air model this year.
Mac Studio: The first-generation Mac Studio arrived in March 2022 and brought the Apple M1 Ultra processor with it. Since then, Apple introduced the M2 Pro and M2 Max on the latest MacBook Pro models, suggesting a Mac Studio update is incoming.
Like the new Mac Pro (2023), the Mac Studio (2023) should feature the M2 Max and all-new M2 Ultra and arrive in June at WWDC.
Likelihood of seeing a new Mac Studio in 2023: 80%. It's entirely possible the Mac Studio was Apple's idea of a stop-gap measure before it could release a new Mac Pro. In that case, the Mac Studio could quietly go bye-bye like the first and only iMac Pro. We think there's a good chance there's more life in this guy yet, though.
24-inch iMac: The current M1 iMac is Apple's second oldest Mac available behind the Mac Pro. First introduced in March 2021, the 24-inch iMac includes an Apple M1 chip and comes in various color combinations. Even in late December, it looked like Apple would launch a next-generation 24-inch iMac in January. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and more recent rumors now suggest we won't see a new model until this fall.
When the 24-inch iMac (2023) arrives, it will likely feature the same M3 processor found on what we expect to be the 15-inch MacBook Air mentioned above. So an October or November launch date sounds about right, although Apple could just as easily launch an update sooner.
Likelihood of seeing a new iMac in 2023: 70%. The iMac rumor mill is often confusing, mainly because there's still the possibility Apple will reveal a fresh iMac Pro, which could influence what happens to the regular iMac. The last (and only) iMac Pro was quietly retired in 2021. One year later, Apple ended production of the 27-inch iMac. All this suggests we could see two new iMacs released in 2023, 24- and 27-inch models.
13-inch MacBook Pro: And then there's the oddest Mac of the bunch, the MacBook Pro (2022). Launched (with much less fanfare) alongside the MacBook Air for 2022, the latest-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro offers an Apple M2 chip. Beyond this, it's nearly identical to the previous model and now remains the only product with a Touch Bar.
Likelihood (of an update) to the 13-inch MacBook Pro: 0%. Our best guess is that Apple will keep the current 13-inch MacBook Pro around until the 15-inch MacBook Air debuts, not a minute longer. The 13-inch MacBook Pro will then be gone, at least into the foreseeable future.
We'll continue to follow Mac developments and let you know when there's movement. Until then, expect a busy late spring headed by a flurry of new product releases in the fall.
