Tim Hardwick
Apple has announced an “exciting week of announcements” starting Monday, and judging by the teaser image, new Macs are likely to feature prominently. However, there are some hardware updates on Apple’s roadmap that aren’t likely to be part of those announcements.
Here’s what you shouldn’t expect from Apple’s round of product announcements in the last week of October and into November.
M4 MacBook Air
Apple launched updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models powered by Apple’s M3 chip in March 2024, and the company will soon begin producing M4 versions ahead of an early 2025 launch, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. No new design changes are planned for the MacBook Air models, with the focus set to be on the M4 chip. The machines will go on sale next year between January and March.
M4 Mac Studio
Apple plans to update the Mac Studio after the M4 MacBook Air launches in early 2025. It will feature a variation of the M4 processor, which could be an M4 Ultra or Max chip. The current model comes in M2 Max and M2 Ultra variants. Mark Gurman claims that the Mac Studio was supposed to be updated along with the MacBook Air, but it will now be updated between March and June. Previous reports had him saying the Mac Studio would launch in mid-2025, so it’s unclear what has changed.
M4 Mac Pro
Apple last updated the Mac Pro in June 2023, adding the M2 Ultra chip and officially completing the transition away from Intel chips. According to Mark Gurman, Apple will update the Mac Pro in the summer of 2025. Like the Mac Studio, the next Mac Pro will skip the M3 series. Instead, it will feature a top-end version of the M4 chip, codenamed “Hidra.” Based on the chip’s description, it could be positioned as an “Ultra” or “Extreme” chip. It could also support up to 512GB of storage, a notable increase from the current 192GB limit.
iPhone SE 4
Apple plans to release a new iPhone SE with Apple Intelligence early next year, with the launch likely in March or April, according to Mark Gurman. The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design to the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a new A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, and an Apple-designed 5G modem. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple suppliers will begin mass production in December.
iPad
Apple has already refreshed the iPad Air and iPad Pro this year, and the company launched the new iPad mini 7 earlier this month, making the entry-level iPad the most likely candidate to receive an update. Don’t expect an announcement next week, though.
Apple’s most affordable iPad model will get an 11th-generation update with Apple Intelligence capabilities in late 2025, according to Mark Gurman. The timeline indicates a significant gap since the last entry-level iPad refresh, which occurred in October 2022. The delay in the refresh could be due to the technical requirements of packing AI capabilities into a budget $349 device.
AirPods Pro 3
Despite being released more than two years ago, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbuds market, but they aren’t expected to receive a refresh until next year, according to Gurman. The 2025 AirPods Pro will be updated with a new design and a faster chip, plus the earbuds will inherit Apple’s new hearing health features.
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