Display panels destined for the 14-inch and 16-inch M4 models are shipping to Apple in July and August, timing that makes sense for a launch in the fourth quarter, according to display analyst Ross Young.
Young shared the information in a tweet for subscribers, confirming rumors that new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 chips will come out before the end of the year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said earlier this month that Apple will update the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac lines with M4 chip technology in late 2024.
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will get M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. The entry-level 14-inch model will have the M4, while higher end 14-inch models and 16-inch models will get the M4 Pro and M4 Max, which have not yet been unveiled. Apple first introduced the M4 in the iPad Pro in May.
No redesign is expected, but Apple will overhaul the Mac mini that's expected to be refreshed alongside the MacBook Pro models. The Mac mini will feature a smaller footprint, and it will be Apple's smallest ever computer. It could be around the size of the Apple TV, though a little taller.
The M4 chip is built on TSMC's 3-nanometer process, much like the M3, but there are performance and efficiency improvements. Apple also included a new, more powerful Neural Engine for AI workloads.
With new iPhone and Apple Watch models planned for Apple's annual September event, new Macs could come out at a second event in October or November or they could be unveiled through a press release.
Apple also plans to refresh the MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio with M4 chips, but those updates will not happen until 2025.
