Last month, Apple finally unveiled the next-gen M4 chip when it took wraps off the new iPad Pro. Now, it may be time for the MacBooks to receive an upgrade. A new rumor comes from analyst Ross Young, who has a good track record with such developments.
According to Young, M4 MacBook Pros will hit the shelves in the fourth quarter (Q4 2024). In a tweet to subscribers, he mentioned that displays for the upcoming 14- and 16-inch devices are slated to begin shipping in the third quarter (Q3 2024), suggesting the potential launch towards the end of the year.
Interestingly, this launch timeline aligns with earlier reports by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, suggesting that the first M4 Mac devices will likely debut later this year. Initially, the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, along with the Mac mini, will be the first to transition to the new M4 chip, per the report.
The M4 iMac is expected to follow sometime between late 2024 and early 2025. Subsequently, the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro are expected to follow soon after.
The standard 14-inch MacBook Pro could sport an M4 chip, while the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models may pack an upgraded and more powerful M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. The Mac mini will also see versions with M4 and M4 Pro chips. As you would know, Apple’s M4 chip uses an upgraded 3-nanometer manufacturing process, first introduced with the M3 series.
Besides the M4 chips, the upcoming MacBook Pro models aren’t expected to have major new features. Of course, the M4 MacBook Pros will boot up to macOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence features, as they should. There are rumors that Apple is developing OLED display technology, but we likely won’t see an OLED MacBook Pro until at least 2026.