Apple could refresh its MacBook Pro lineup with M4 chips as soon as Q4 2024. Based on supply-chain checks, panel shipments for the 14-inch and 16-inch models will start in Q3 2024.
Typically, this indicates that Apple will start shipping new MacBook Pro models in the last quarter of the year.
M4 MacBook Pro might focus on AI features
Apple announced M3 MacBook Pros at its ‘Scary Fast’ event on October 31, 2023. So, a Q4 launch for M4-powered MacBook Pros sounds plausible. The launch could coincide with Apple releasing the stable build of macOS Sequoia or macOS 15.1 to the public filled with useful new AI features. This would also play nicely with the advanced and more powerful Neural Engine of the M4 chip.
In a post on X for his subscribers, analyst Ross Young claims LCD panel shipments for next-gen 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros will start in Q3 2024.
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman also previously claimed that M4 Macs should launch later this year. Between the end of 2024 and early 2024, Apple will reportedly launch “new iMacs, a low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and Mac minis — all with M4 chips.”
Will next-gen MacBooks sport a thinner and lighter design?
Like before, Apple has multiple M4 chip variants in the pipeline with more CPU and GPU cores for higher performance. More powerful Macs like the Mac Studio and Mac Pro should launch later in 2025, with consumer-focused models launching first.
Besides a faster chip and a focus on AI, Apple’s M4 MacBooks should feature improved battery life. A recent report suggested the company is working on making future MacBooks slimmer and lighter, though it’s unclear if we will see these changes as soon as this year. Reducing the weight and thickness would make the MacBook Pro easier to carry, which is always welcome.
