Kuo: Apple Silicon Macs to Include 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air This Year, 14.1-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Models Next Year

At last month's WWDC, Apple officially announced that its Mac computers will be transitioned from Intel x86 to homegrown Apple Silicon chips. Apple said it plans to deliver the first ‌Apple Silicon‌ Mac by the end of the year and complete the transition in about two years.

14 16 inch MBP Comparison
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a form factor similar to the current 13.3-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ could be the first Mac to get an Arm-based chip designed by Apple. In March, Kuo predicted this new ‌MacBook Pro‌ will launch late in 2020 or early in 2021.

In a research note with TF International Securities today, seen by MacRumors, Kuo said he expects the ‌Apple Silicon‌ 13.3-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ to go into mass production in the fourth quarter of this year, but he also now predicts we will see an Arm-based MacBook Air either in the same quarter or in the first quarter of next year.

Kuo still believes that Apple intends to launch a mini-LED 16-inch ‌‌MacBook Pro‌‌ and a 14.1-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, also with a mini-LED display, but these will likely arrive in the second or third quarter of 2021, and intriguingly, both will have an "all-new form factor design." Previous rumors suggested an updated 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ could arrive this year in October or November.

We predict that Apple will launch new MacBook models including the new 13.3-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the Apple Silicon in 4Q20, the new MacBook Air equipped with the Apple Silicon in 4Q20 or 1Q21, and new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models equipped with the Apple Silicon and all-new form factor design in late 2Q21 or 3Q21.

Kuo made no mention in today's report of the ‌Apple Silicon‌ iMac he previously predicted. Apple is still expected to launch a redesigned ‌iMac‌ this year, although it's not expected to be an ‌Apple Silicon‌ machine.

In the same report, Kuo predicts that MacBook shipments in 2020 are expected to increase to 16–17 million units. Kuo also said that under optimistic circumstances, if Apple lowered the price of the new ‌MacBook Air‌ to reflect a cost reduction, and if demand was high for the new 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, shipment volume could increase significantly next year to 18-20 million units.

Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air
Related Forums: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Another Vehicle Brand Gaining iPhone Car Keys Support

Tuesday October 28, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to Jetour vehicles, according to evidence uncovered on Apple's backend by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Introduced in 2022, Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done by holding an Apple Watch or...

Top Rated Comments

ijbond Avatar
69 months ago
I was hoping for a 14" Intel MacBook Pro.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wyarp Avatar
69 months ago

As an owner of MBP 16”, the bezel on the iMac looks like a 20 year old tech. They have got to update that ASAP
Every single iMac I have ever worked on has always and CONTINUES to look, MILES better than any PC equivalent. I really could not care less about bezels or not, as a piece of product design, something sat on a desk, it is STILL iconic and streets ahead of the competition. Fact.


Exaggerate much? Here's a 2000 iMac:

https://apple-history.com/dvse2000
An let's not forget the PC equivalent!



Attachment Image
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
69 months ago

As an owner of MBP 16”, the bezel on the iMac looks like a 20 year old tech. They have got to update that ASAP
Exaggerate much? Here's a 2000 iMac:

https://apple-history.com/dvse2000
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ma2k5 Avatar
69 months ago

None of this points to a ‘fast transition’, boldly luring power and professional users.

This will be a slow burn. This is quite different to the PowerPC to Intel move which opened up the Mac to a whole new audience.

Apple will need to prove their new machines are worthy upgrading to and not just on power: they will need to be aesthetically desirable.
Considering even the most premium windows laptops are plagued with issues due to the current Intel chips which have stifled innovation in terms of performance and form factor - I think it will be an easy task.

Battery size, throttling, thermals and noise are all not ideal due to the perf per watt of these Intel machines.

Truthfully I can’t wait to have a laptop which doesn’t need to go 80-100c to do basic tasks.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
makarama Avatar
69 months ago
I was planning to avoid the first gen arm MacBook, but now I have one additional reason to do so. And that is a second gen armed MacBook Pro 14 inch. Really, I don't recommend anyone buying the arm MacBook 13 inch at the end of this year given the fact that the new 14 inch model will have better thermals, mini LED screen, one year more of arm development etc etc.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sotov Avatar
69 months ago
I don't believe Apple's first ARM laptop will not have an updated design. This transition is too important. A 13" or 14" update along the lines of the 16" seems to suggest itself.

What I really want though is a 12" powerhouse with excellent battery life.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)