In recent years, Apple has taken several significant moves, replacing Intel CPUs with the first generation of Apple-designed M1 chips based on ARM technology. Any of our Apple MacBook Pro or Mac desktop reviews will show you that these new systems have been a big success. However, Apple is most likely not finished yet.
After more than a year of big launches, including the introduction of the current 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, as well as a 24-inch iMac desktop (and the silent demise of the 21-inch iMac and the powerful iMac Pro), anticipation for new Mac goods in 2022 is high. And speculations say that major things are on the way.
From new processors to redesigned designs, Apple appears to be on track to release numerous new items in 2022, with the first of these announcements possibly coming as soon as this month.
Prognosis for Processors: New Apple M2, Upgraded M1 Max
Apple regularly hosts special events at which it debuts new goods and allows executives to share details about new items and technologies. So, the next major Apple event is likely to take place this spring, as is customary around March or April.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the unannounced spring event will take place on March 8, with potential announcements ranging from new processors to new MacBooks and Mac desktops.
The long-awaited Apple M2 CPU is the most heavily expected announcement for the spring 2022 presentation. According to Nikkei Asia, the new chips have been in production for months, fuelling speculation that the revised processors will be available in goods as soon as this spring.
Following the successful launch of the Apple M1 CPU in 2020, the first to employ Apple’s semiconductor architecture, the M1 series was expanded in 2021. With the launch of the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, the ARM-based CPU was upgraded with more processing cores and processing capacity.
Other early rumors indicate that an improved version of the Apple M1 Max, which has ten high-performance cores and two low-power cores, maybe on the way. The new chip might boost the overall number of cores from the M1 Max’s 10 (eight performance, two low-power), adding raw processing capability without adding low-power cores. The assumption here is that a stationary desktop does not require as much efficiency emphasis because it does not rely on battery power and can draw as much power as needed for those beefier performance cores.
New MacBooks: Apple’s Laptops Get a Facelift
The much-anticipated M2 CPU announcement brings a slew of speculated improvements to the MacBook series, with new M2-equipped MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models expected this year.
Apple MacBook Air
The MacBook Air was one of the first devices to use Apple’s M1 processor, which was introduced in late 2020. It was a significant triumph for Apple’s new hardware, with tremendous processing power and some of the longest battery life we’ve ever seen. It is likely one of the first products to acquire the anticipated M2 CPU.
Gurman predicts huge things for the small notebook, claiming that the new model would receive the “largest MacBook Air overhaul in the product’s history.” According to renowned leaker Jon Prosser, the MacBook Air will be available in a variety of colors, similar to the 2021 iMac. However, the design modifications do not stop there.
Other rumors point to a new squared-off form that does away with the classic wedge profile, USB 4 connections, a MagSafe charger, and a notched display similar to the ones present on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro computers.
And, while Apple’s notoriously thin MacBook is projected to be thinner and lighter than ever before, it may no longer be referred to as the Air in the future. But we’ll take this last tidbit with a grain of salt. Many of these leaks originate in the supply chain, where workers rarely know the branded name of a product and may only be dealing with particular elements of the finished product.
Apple MacBook Pro
According to 9to5Mac, Gurman predicts that a new entry-level MacBook Pro, replacing the existing M1-powered variant, would be revealed. Aside from the upgraded M2 chip, the new MacBook Pro would forego the TouchBar and offer the same extended port options as existing MacBook Pro versions.
This entry-level model would be the new inexpensive MacBook Pro, priced lower than the premium M1 Pro and M1 Max variants. Smaller storage allotments and screens without tiny LED or ProMotion technology would be among the other modifications. This new MacBook Pro appears to be positioned between the more inexpensive MacBook Air and the more premium 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro variants presently on the market.
Apple Desktops: Big and Small Changes
When it comes to desktops, Gurman believes that numerous new Macs are on the way, including new versions with the more powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max featured in the most recent MacBook Pro laptops, as well as new CPUs that have yet to be disclosed. Whether it’s the new M2 chip or a beefed-up M1 Max, the reported CPUs might herald huge changes for Mac desktops.
The Mac Mini
The inclusion of Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, which would expand the Mac mini range with more powerful current CPUs, is the first of numerous Mac mini rumors.
The initial M1 processor made its desktop debut in the Mac mini in late 2020, and early indications suggest that the M2 chip may likewise make its debut in the smallest Mac first.
According to Prosser, the Mac mini may also receive a big design makeover, moving away from the present all-metal design and toward a smaller chassis with a slimmer overall profile and a Plexiglas-like top panel. There may possibly be various color options, although even the leakers are unsure about that, so take it for what it’s worth.
The new design may include more ports, such as four Thunderbolt connections, twin USB ports, wired Ethernet, HDMI output, and a new magnetic power connector.
Apple’s iMac and iMac Pro computers
A new iMac with a larger screen than the existing 24-inch model is one of the predicted desktop announcements. The size of that screen is unknown, with some sources claiming 27-inch display panels equal to the present 27-inch iMac and others claiming screen sizes of 30 inches or larger.
There are also rumors of a new iMac Pro, which would be an improved version of Apple’s powerful all-in-one desktop. According to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, the new iMac Pro with tiny LED lighting technology for its screen could be released this summer.
As the successor to the first Mac all-in-one for creative professionals, we’d anticipate a new iMac Pro to have the same kind of strong processing and massive RAM support that distinguished the original iMac Pro. It’s unclear whether this indicates it has the same M1 Max processor as the top MacBook Pro models or something else.
According to WCCFTech, the current 10-core M1 Max could be joined by a more powerful brother, with a 12-core design that uses ten high-performance cores and two low-power cores, with less emphasis on power saving for the always-plugged-in desktop.
The Apple Mac Pro: Intel’s Lone Holdout
Finally, the Mac Pro desktop is Apple’s most powerful Mac, but it’s also the last to use Intel processors. People are waiting for a new Mac Pro as we enter the second year of Apple’s planned two-year move away from Apple Silicon.
However, duplicating the raw power of the current Mac Pro’s 28-core Intel Xeon processor is no easy task. According to current reports, new M1 processors above the present M1 Max will be introduced for the Mac Pro, with 20- or 40-core variants. These would include a plethora of speed and efficiency cores, as well as 64- and 128-core graphics options.
The most interesting question is whether the next Mac Pro will have the same modern chassis design as the current one, which is famous/infamous for resembling a cheese grater. It appears that Apple will remain with the present desktop architecture, especially since the current Mac Pro has a modular internal setup that should make swapping out the hardware straightforward without interrupting the existing manufacturing line.
Aside from new Macs, Apple is widely expected to unveil a new iPhone SE this spring, presumably using the same A15 chipset as Apple’s current iPhone 13 series.
