Apple will update its MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac lines with its latest M4 chip later this year, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, with the Mac mini also set to feature its first redesign since 2010.
Writing in his Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple is preparing to upgrade every Mac to the new Apple silicon processor generation. Following the launch of the M4 iPad Pro in May, Apple will continue the M4 transition with the above mentioned Macs, and complete it with updates for the MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio in 2025.
The most interesting addition from Gurman's latest report is that while the M4 overhaul is mostly focused on making Apple's machines more powerful – with the M4 processor's enhanced neural engine for handling AI tasks a standout upgrade – the next Mac Mini will also get a design overhaul that will make it Apple's smallest ever desktop computer.
The new Mac mini will approach the size of an Apple TV, although it may be slightly taller than the current model, which is 1.4 inches high. Gurman's sources say it will continue to feature an aluminum shell, and individuals working on the new device have described it as "essentially an iPad Pro in a small box."
There will continue to be two versions of the Mac mini: one with the standard M4 chip, similar to the iPad Pro, and one with an M4 Pro chip. The base model is set to begin shipping from suppliers this month ahead of release later in the year, while the high-end model will not be ready until October.
There are MacBook Airs in development for the spring, and Mac Pro and Mac Studio models are planned for the middle of next year, according to Gurman.
Apple has said the ultra-thin 2024 iPad Pro serves as a model for its upcoming design philosophy, with the company planning to offer "the thinnest and lightest products" in each category across the tech industry. Gurman previously reported that Apple is working on a thinner version of the MacBook Pro.
