Apple’s M3 MacBook plans could be in jeopardy this year

3 weeks ago

By Jacob Roach September 8, 2023 12:49PM

Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed connected a desk.

We’ve been proceeding rumors astir Apple updating its MacBook scope pinch nan new M3 processor passim this year, but those plans mightiness beryllium successful jeopardy. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is ditching its plans to merchandise M3-powered MacBooks this year.

Although that runs antagonistic to immoderate reports we heard earlier successful nan twelvemonth — 1 rumor said Apple would merchandise its caller MacBooks no later than September — much reports are mounting that declare Apple is delaying its plans.

Just 2 weeks ago, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman claimed that Apple was reducing nan scope of its emblematic Mac-focused arena successful October. The newsman says it won’t beryllium a general event, suggesting Apple could softly merchandise a caller merchandise done a property merchandise alternatively than putting connected a afloat presentation.

Apple usually holds events for its caller spot launches, and assuming it plans to refresh its scope of MacBooks, it’s improbable nan announcement would travel solely from a property release. One anticipation is that Apple will debut nan M3 successful an updated 24-inch iMac, arsenic speculated by 9to5Mac. That instrumentality hasn’t received an update since 2020 and is still utilizing nan aging M1 chip.

Lending much credibility to Kuo’s study is nan truth that Apple has already fixed Macs a batch of attraction this year. In June, nan institution not only announced a 15-inch MacBook Air, but besides a new Mac Studio and Mac Pro.

M3 MacBooks connected nan horizon?

M2 Ultra and Mac Studio presented astatine WWDC 2023.

Although we whitethorn not spot M3 MacBooks this year, it’s clear Apple is gearing up to merchandise them. Reports suggest nan institution has already secured a year’s worthy of chipmaker TSMC’s N3 (3nm) node, which is what nan M3 is reportedly built on. It’s important to item that N3 besides powers nan A17 Bionic chips, which we expect to spot successful nan iPhone 15 scope during Apple’s arena connected September 12.

If we do spot nan M3 this year, it will apt show up successful only a fistful of devices. Previous reports show that Apple is holding disconnected connected launching nan M3 Pro and M3 Max until 2024. That would make sense, too, arsenic nan Mac Studio and Mac Pro were conscionable precocious updated successful June.

The M3 is expected to bring a ample upgrade to Apple’s lineup. Devices for illustration nan MacBook Air M2 fell a spot short of expectations owed to only offering an incremental upgrade complete nan M1. However, nan caller N3 node successful nan M3 is rumored to bring a monolithic capacity improvement.

Ultimately, we conscionable person to hold until Apple has much to share. Apple historically holds its autumn Mac arena successful nan mediate of October, pinch an announcement happening nan week before, truthful it shouldn’t beryllium agelong until we cognize more.

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Jacob Roach

Jacob Roach is simply a writer covering computing and gaming astatine Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't tally connected a laptop, he…

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