If you try to buy a MacBook Pro with a M2 Pro or M2 Max chip today, you might be out of luck. Apple’s US website shows that all high-end models have a 2-3 weeks delivery date. Interestingly, this usually happens with a product when Cupertino is about to announce a refresh to its lineup.
But could Apple be preparing M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro models for an October release, nine months after unveiling its M2 Pro and M2 Max variants – and without announcing a base-model M3 chip first? I doubt it. But here’s what could be behind it.
Supply constraint or this very interesting rumor
It’s unusual for an Apple product that has been sold for some time to have a supply constraint, especially because reports say Mac sales overall have declined this year. In addition, no base-model Mac or Mac Studio option has a longer delivery date, which could debunk the possibility of an M2 Pro or M2 Max chip constraint.
In addition, there was an interesting report published last week that we might have misreaded it. According to DigiTimes, Apple could be planning to give a spec bump to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. But while we thought this could mean M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, Cupertino could be weirdly planning just to update its miniLED display. Here’s what the report says:
“Apple is expected to ship new models of 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro devices in the fourth quarter of 2023 with miniLED backlighting that can increase the display brightness by 10% compared to the first-generation specifications, the sources said.”
The report then explains that this change won’t be for a brighter display but for power efficiency. “The brightness enhancement is not meant to improve picture quality, but rather to save power and improve battery life, the sources said, adding that the new devices will start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2023.”
Although unusual, Apple might be planning to make this upgrade (at the moment) without telling anyone.
We still have to wait for invites to an upcoming October event – which might never happen. But with rumors about new iPad models on the horizon of being released, Apple may make some sort of announcement in the near future.
With that in mind, BGR will keep an eye on this possible MacBook Pro refresh, and we’ll let you know once we discover more about Apple’s plans.
