Apple is reportedly holding another hardware-focused event in the coming weeks, this time revolving around new Mac and iPad products, according to a claim Bloomberg's Mark Gurman made on Sunday.
This comes only a week after Apple held the "It's Glowtime event," which focused on iPhone and Apple Watch products.
According to Gurman, we should expect an M4-powered MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini, alongside a new iPad Mini and "new, lower-end iPads," which could just be the 11th Generation of iPad.
Here are some rumors on the MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Mini, iPad Mini, and next-generation iPads, all of which are expected to be unveiled at an Apple event in the coming weeks.
Mac M4 and iPad: Rumored release dates
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what we know about each machine, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported back in May on when we would see each device.
M4 products will be launching over the course of the rest of this year and next year. We don't expect next year's products to be unveiled at this event, so here's everything coming this year according to Gurman's report:
MacBook Pro will launch later 2024 with M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max. Mac Mini is also reportedly slated for 2024 with a M4 and M4 Pro. The iMac is also reportedly launching this year alongside them according to MacRumors.
As for the iPad Mini 7, we don't have an exact rumored launch date. It's difficult to pin a pattern down considering how inconsistent iPad Mini launches are historically: The previous model was released in September 2021, unveiled alongside the new iPhone products, and the generation before that launched March 2019.
However, we do still expect to see it this year, possibly in October or November. As for the lower-end iPads, it could be launched alongside it.
M4 MacBook Pro
Several new MacBook Pro models will reportedly be unveiled at the event. This includes a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base M4 as the lowest end option, while M4 Pro will be available in 14-inch and 16-inch models of the MacBook Pro. Gurman claims that "two pro-level M4 chip options" will be available in these 14-inch and 16-inch options, which we can only assume is in reference to M4 Max.
Thus, the full list of which MacBook products we are expecting at the event is:
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
- 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max
- 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max
This falls in line with release date rumored that were established previously, as MacBooks with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max were expected to launch later this year.
One thing we are expecting to see from new Mac models is the removal of 8GB of RAM as an option altogether, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Apple Intelligence is a major focus on the upcoming generation of the company's hardware, and it's possible that 16GB is the minimum in order for these features to work optimally.
M4 Mac Mini
Reports of an all-new Mac Mini with a massive redesign have been circulating for months, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reporting that it'll be Apple's "smallest computer ever."
Apple is also reportedly abandoning USB Type-A entirely, now moving instead to five full USB Type-C ports on the higher end Pro model, with two on the front and three at the back.
For context, the previous M2 Mac Mini featured two USB Type-C and two USB Type-A, while the Pro model bumped that up to four USB Type-C. Its Ethernet, HDMI, and audio jacks are all being maintained.
Similar to the other Mac products in this line-up, it will likely feature Apple's new M4 chip, and will probably have a higher end model featuring M4 Pro, alongside ditching 8GB of RAM as an option.
M4 iMac
The iMac is perhaps the least exciting of these announcements, as we don't expect much change in design. Beyond the possibility of it doing without an 8GB option (alongside the other Mac products), rumors suggest it will merely receive an upgrade to M4.
However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed back in June that there's "early work" on iMac products that could have a screen over 30 inches. Considering that was only a few months ago, it's unlikely that this ultra-large iMac will come with the M4 launch slated for this year, but it's not necessarily impossible.
iPad Mini 7
The last iPad Mini launched in 2021, and Gurman believes that the iPad Mini 7 will be unveiled at the October event.
As far as what to expect, the details are up in the air. It likely won't be powered by M-series chips, even though iPad Pro and iPad Air have indeed made the move over. Instead, it'll likely stick to the same chips that power iPhone products, potentially featuring an A16 or A17.
If we assume the company wants all of its upcoming products to be able to utilize Apple Intelligence, it'll likely be A17, and perhaps even A17 Pro, which powered the iPhone 15 Pro.
Beyond that, it will likely feature the same 8.3-inch display, although a rumor from almost a year ago posted on Weibo suggests that the company is addressing issues with "jelly scrolling," which is essentially when screen tearing occurs while scrolling up and down the display.
