Apple has begun mass production of its next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models featuring the new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, according to a report from Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.
This development follows earlier indications from display industry analyst Ross Young, who reported that shipments of displays for the upcoming MacBook Pro models are already in progress.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also hinted at the new chips in a May edition of his Power On newsletter, forecasting that the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips would be a significant part of the high-end MacBook Pro lineup this year. Gurman also suggested that Apple is expected to release three additional Macs with the standard M4 chip later this year, including a new 14-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini.
Historically, Apple has announced new Macs in October, as seen with last year’s launch of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models equipped with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. If Apple maintains this trend, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips could launch in next two months.
Apple this year us expected to give its 24-inch iMac an upgrade to the next-generation M4 chip. Also, Apple is said to refresh its MacBook Pro lineup. The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro will come with the M4 chip, while the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models will be equipped with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, respectively. Alongside these updates, the Mac mini will also be refreshed with M4 and M4 Pro options.
The M4 updates will continue into 2025. Apple next year plans to refresh the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the new M4 chips. The updates are expected to focus primarily on the new chips, with no major design changes anticipated. The Mac Studio, which received M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips in June 2023, will likely skip the M3 chips and be updated in mid-2025. This update is expected to bring M4 Max and M4 Ultra chips, aligning with current options.