Apple is reportedly testing nine upcoming Mac computers with the M2 chips and its variants, ranging from an updated Mac mini to a next-gen Mac Pro that will bring the unannounced M2 Ultra silicon to the table. The 2022 portfolio of products is rumored to be the most expansive one for Apple in a calendar year, with new Macs forming a bulk of it, and rumors suggesting that the floodgates will truly open at the upcoming WWDC event in June.
The next in line is reportedly the highly-anticipated MacBook Air refresh that will hit the shelves rocking an updated design language with an M2 chip inside. Down the road, a more affordable MacBook Pro with a 13-inch screen is said to make its debut, while a Mac mini is said to follow suit as well. Next-gen MacBook Pro models are touted to arrive next year, but the situation around a Pro desktop remains unclear. However, a comprehensive leak now provides an idea of what to expect from Apple’s Mac strategy for 2022, and beyond.
Per a report from Bloomberg, Apple is testing nine unreleased Mac machines with M2 chip variants. Starting from the lowest end of the price ladder, Apple’s engineers are testing a Mac mini refresh with the M2 (J473) and a variant with the M1 Pro chip as well, which is a tad odd. Next in line is the MacBook Air (J413) with an M2 chip packing eight CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. The same chip is also slated to make its way inside the MacBook Pro as well. All three aforementioned machines are reportedly in line for a 2022 debut.
Expansive Lineup, Upgraded Firepower
Progressing over to the Pro machines, Apple is testing a 14-inch MacBook Pro (J414) with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, with the latter packing 12 CPU cores and up to 38 GPU cores. The RAM capacity is said to be 64GB, most likely soldered to the motherboard and non-upgradable. There’s also a 16-inch model (J416) that will offer similar innards as its 14-inch sibling. However, it is unlikely that Apple will introduce these two in 2022, with rumors predicting a 2023 launch for updated MacBook Pro models. Finally, there’s a Mac Pro refresh (J180) that will employ the M2 Ultra chip, a successor to the M1 Ultra that was fitted inside the Mac Studio.
However, the report doesn’t mention anything about an iMac Pro or the rumored 27-inch iMac refresh that was originally tipped for an official launch in 2022. Apple has apparently been experimenting with packing Pro-grade silicon inside smaller machines too, such as an M1 Max inside the Mac mini, but the company reportedly nixed those plans to prevent overlap with the Mac Studio and avoid cannibalizing sales. According to a previous report, Apple also has an M2 Extreme chip planned, but given the existing portfolio, it will most likely break cover next year.
Source: Bloomberg