The M4 MacBook Pro has been selling on the black market for a few weeks, with at least two YouTubers posting unboxing videos of the new laptop. The clips show the laptop’s biggest upgrades, and we have benchmarks online to back up those claims.
There’s no question that the MacBook Pro in Russia is the entry-level M4 MacBook Pro. The surprise iPad mini 7 launch earlier this week further confirmed the hands-on videos were real because Apple used the same wallpapers on both devices.
The iPad mini 7 launch also suggests Apple might not hold a press event in October, as previously expected. Reports said that’s where Apple planned to debut the M4 Macs and the iPad mini 7. That said, the M4 Macs launch will almost certainly happen in the coming weeks, and now there’s more evidence to support the claim.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said several weeks ago that various M4 Macs were already shipping from Apple’s manufacturing partners. Apple was waiting for all the models it planned to unveil this fall to be ready so it could launch them simultaneously. This explains the likely M4 MacBook Pro theft that must have occurred at some point in the past few weeks. That’s probably the only way the M4 MacBook Pro could hit the black market in Russia.
A new report from Digitimes covering the current state of the computer market provides further proof that Apple is gearing up for an M4 Mac launch this month.
The report notes that the market demand continues to be sluggish, following a lackluster September quarter. Apple’s new M4 MacBook Pro might provide a limited boost to overall laptop sales. According to Digitimes, the M4 Macs will launch in October, with some Apple suppliers already showing improved financials as a result:
Apple is expected to unveil new MacBook Pro models equipped with the latest M4 chip in October, which could boost related component shipments. This trend is evident in the revenue reports from component manufacturers such as Jarllytec and Shin Zu Shing for September. Quanta also saw its September notebook shipments rise to 4.9 million units, reflecting a 13% increase over August.
The report also notes that some suppliers expect a resurgence in sales momentum from late 2025 into early 2025 as some brands are transitioning to new models. By that, the report means Apple and its M4 MacBook Pro:
Sources indicate that Apple’s upcoming MacBook Pro, featuring the M4 processor, represents a high-end model that may drive limited shipment momentum. However, its higher price point is expected to positively influence the revenue performance of the supply chain.
The report only mentions the M4 MacBook Pro, as it focuses on the notebook market. However, Apple will unveil several M4 Macs soon. The list includes the base M4 14-inch MacBook Pro that leaked in Russia and the higher-end M4 Pro and M4 Max versions of it. Apple will also update the 16-inch MacBook Pro to new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.
Additionally, Apple should unveil a new M4 iMac and a redesigned M4 Mac mini at the same time as the M4 MacBook Pro.
The iPad mini 7 will hit stores on October 23rd, as it’s currently available for preorder. Given this schedule, it’ll be interesting to see when and how the M4 Macs launch. Apple could go for press releases again rather than a press event. The new Macs should then start selling online a week before hitting stores.
I’d expect it all to happen in late October and early November, but that’s just speculation based on all these developments.
