Apple could unveil a new "Mac Studio" machine and a new display that runs iOS at the March 8 event, according to a last minute confirmation from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a tweet, Gurman says that the Mac Studio and a "new monitor running iOS are "ready to go" and will likely be debuting tomorrow.
Earlier today, YouTuber Luke Miani shared renders of what he claims is the "Mac Studio," showing off a machine that features a design like a thick Mac mini. The "Mac Studio" features the same square-shaped design as the current Mac mini, but it measures in at four inches tall and it has a new thermal design to mitigate heat.
Miani said that the "Mac Studio" would "unequivocally" be announced during the spring event, and now it appears Gurman is backing that up.
Am told the Mac Studio (smaller Mac Pro/more powerful Mac mini) plus the new monitor running iOS are “ready to go” - so I believe they should arrive tomorrow. https://t.co/MvrGwTfGmy — Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 7, 2022
We first heard the name "Mac Studio" last week from 9to5Mac, with the site describing it as a sort of Mac mini and Mac Pro hybrid device. Prior rumors have pointed toward both a high-end Mac mini and a smaller Mac Pro that are in development, and it appears that these rumors may have been talking about the same Mac Studio device.
The hybrid Mac Studio could replace the high-end Mac mini and it could be sold as a smaller alternative to the Mac Pro. It is not expected to be as powerful as the Mac Pro, but it is expected to use Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, along with an option for a more powerful version of the M1 Max.
To go along with the Mac Studio, Apple is rumored to have a "Studio Display" ready to go. Miani said that the Studio Display will feature a 27-inch size with slightly larger bezels than the Pro Display XDR, and now Gurman suggests that it will "run iOS," indicating a built-in A-series chip.
We've previously heard rumors about some kind of display with an A-series chip inside, though it was thought that such a display would be a Pro Display XDR successor. Instead, the monitor coming tomorrow is expected to be more affordable than the $5k Pro Display XDR, but no pricing information is available.
Apple's full plans for the Mac Studio and potential Studio Display will become clear tomorrow morning, with the "Peek Performance" event set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.