The MacBook Air got a chip update fairly recently, so we can expect Apple to give a spec bump to the MacBook Pro models (which currently start with the M3 as the base), the Mac Mini, and the iMac. The iMac did not get many improvements. It has just been iterative chip bumps. Apple might give it the latest M4 chip at the end of the year.
Considering that most of Apple’s future software tricks will focus on AI, upgrading the Mac lineup to the new M4 chip is imperative. The M4 chip is not a massive upgrade over the M3 in raw power, but it’s a big improvement in terms of AI cores and overall AI performance if Apple decides to use in-house algorithms that run offline without the help of the cloud.
A few features of Apple Intelligence are already in Beta on the M series family of MacBooks. They’ll improve upon it and might even add more complex AI features for newer and more powerful models, especially for units with the M4.
Recently, the iPad Pro model got an upgrade to the newest M4 chips, even before the Macs. The MacBook Air, the Mac Pro, and the Mac Studio will get upgrades in 2025, and not this year. The Mac Studio and Mac Pro need special chip fusion for the M4 Ultra, and that will take time.
Since new chips will mean far better neural engines, Apple could announce some standout Apple Intelligence features for these Macs. At least one of the models will feature a radical change. We cannot expect OLED screens on MacBooks yet. They’re expected to stick with Mini LED panels for at least until 2027, as per reports.
The current iPad lineup includes the flagship iPad Pro series with OLED screens, the iPad Airs (two sizes) with the M2 chip, the iPad Mini, and the regular base iPad. Apple hasn’t updated the base iPad and the iPad Mini for quite a while. The iPad Pro and Air got their spec bumps very recently, so we won’t get any new iPad Air or Pro models at the end of this year.
We assume they’re good enough even for the entirety of 2025, so iPad Air and Pro users don’t have to look out for any upgrades. The current one is way beyond the industry standard. As per Mark Gurman on Bloomberg, we might get a new iPad Mini and the iPad 11th generation this year.
The M4 iPads have a unique characteristic. They’re extremely thin, among the thinnest computers in the world. Apple might continue this design philosophy for the Macs as well. We don’t think they’ll shrink the MacBooks by a lot anytime soon. It’s expected that Apple will re-use the same M1 Pro and M1 Max family’s chassis. We can expect a chip bump and some internal changes.
However, Apple might launch a new thin version of the MacBook Pro. The current MacBook Pros are a bit boxy and not as thin as the MacBook Airs. This new model could serve as a fair middle ground if it comes out this year. Whether Apple will bring Face ID to the Mac this year is also unknown.
