It looks like it’s going to be a busy year for Apple’s Mac department, with more than half a dozen launches planned before the end of 2022.
That’s according to Bloomberg’s knowledgeable Apple reporter Mark Gurman, who writes in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter – an edition headlined “Return of the Mac”, to make its focus clear – that he expects the company to release roughly seven new Mac models with Apple Silicon processors in 2022.
The computers will use a mixture of chips, including the new M2, the M1 Pro and M1 Max released last year, and a new more powerful version of the M1 Max. Exactly which processors will appear in which models is uncertain at this time, although Gurman has some suggestions.
He reckons the following Mac models will be released in 2022:
- A new Mac mini with an M1 Pro chip.
- A new 13in MacBook Pro with an M2.
- A Mac mini with an M2.
- A new 24in iMac with an M2.
- A redesigned MacBook Air with an M2.
- A larger iMac Pro with optional M1 Pro and M1 Max.
- And a smaller Mac Pro with Apple Silicon equivalent to two or four M1 Max chips.
The first batch of Mac models for 2022 is expected to be unveiled at a spring event in March. “The presentation is likely to focus on the 5G iPhone SE and iPad Air,” Gurman says, “but I’m told to expect at least one new Mac that day.”
He predicts that the entry-level MacBook Pro and Mac mini will be first to get an upgrade, given that they are two of the oldest Apple Silicon Macs in the line-up. After that, Apple will showcase further new models in May or June, Gurman adds.
But should we believe him? With Jon Prosser fading into the background and Ming-Chi Kuo heard of slightly less these days, Gurman has become the go-to Apple pundit for launch predictions, and he evidently has decent contacts and a solid sense of Apple’s plans.
It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that his hit rate is not flawless. According to AppleTrack, Gurman’s accuracy is 85.5% – strong, but prone to error roughly one time out of every seven. In other words, take the claims with a pinch of salt.
This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation (using DeepL) and additional reporting by David Price.
