It seems like we’ve been waiting for the new Mac Pro for ages. We first thought it would happen at WWDC 2022, then in October, then at the March event, and then with the release of macOS 13.3. Now, a new report from Mark Gurman claims that the latest beta of macOS is testing support for new Macs that likely include the Mac Pro.
We understand if you’re skeptical, especially after the latest report that Apple effectively halted production of its M2 chips in January due to seriously slow Mac sales. Apple resumed production in March, but at half the rate of last year’s M1 chips, according to Elec.
But there is reason to believe that this rumor will become true. Even though 2023 is still nine months away, Apple is starting to run out of time to release the Mac Pro, and it’s hard to imagine it being pushed back to 2024. Here’s what Apple has booked for 2023:
- June: AR headset
- September: iPhone 15, Apple Watch
- October: M3 chip
I doubt that Apple will release such an important product at the end of May since it is so close to WWDC. If the headset does show up at WWDC 2023, it’s doubtful it’ll share the stage with the Mac Pro. During the summer, Apple releases new products very rarely, and September is the release of the iPhone and Apple Watch. And the latest rumors say that Apple will use the second fall event to showcase the new M3 chip.
So there’s a window of about five weeks between now and mid-May when we can see the Mac Pro. If not, there aren’t many opportunities for the rest of the year where it makes sense, unless Apple has a weird July launch or doubles down at WWDC and risks eclipsing its next big thing.
As with the last four rumors, we’ll have to wait and see, but something tells me this one is correct. As for what the new Mac Pro will bring, according to the latest rumors, it will look the same as the current model, but it lacks the characteristic RAM and graphics expansion options. It will likely feature an M2 Ultra processor with 24 CPU cores, 76 graphics cores, and up to 192GB of RAM.