In October, many consumers expected to update their MacBook Pro or MacBook Air not only with a refreshed design on the macOS laptops but also the debut of the Apple Silicon M3. It now looks like it will be well into 2024 before the deskbound computers will be upgraded.
Details on the delay have been confirmed by Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo, who is no longer expecting Apple to release any new MacBooks before the end of 2023. Kuo also notes that the iPad line-up will not be updated before end of the year.
While the launch of a new desktop Mac running the M3 (becoming the debut hardware for the M3) may remain an option, it is unlikely. If Apple does decide to go down this route, there is every chance there will be no pre-recorded, highly-polished launch video, simply a press release in the newsroom and an update to the Apple Store.
This would mean that Apple would forge the chance to introduce the M3, reinforce its specifications, and push the idea that Apple is far ahead of the competition and with the M3 moving forward even further.
There’s another reason Apple may be delaying the M3 chipset from public availability. It’s moonshot augmented reality system Apple Vision; the first Vision Pro headset is expected to become available in the first half of 2024 and is powered by the M2 chip.
Would Apple’s press team want the cutting-edge Vision Pro to be seen running the older M2 chipset while the M3 chipset is available across multiple machines on the macOS platform? Or would it be a better use of resources to divert as much 3nm silicon to the A17 Pro powering the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max and ensure the Vision Pro is launched with the latest specs?
No matter the reasoning, the anticipation of a new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air looks set to deliver disappointment.
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