Apple has just released a new iPad Pro with a shocking surprise — it includes the M4 chip rather than making the more standard upgrade to the M3. It’s the first time we’ve seen an iPad debut the latest M-series Apple Silicon rather than a Mac, which may leave us Mac fans wondering what’s going on.
So, what’s the deal? Don’t worry — M4 Macs are surely on the way, but these new iPad Pros have thrown in a wrench into the conventional timeline.
The most obvious option is that Apple will introduce M4 Macs next up at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10. Apple often reveals new Macs at this event, something perhaps prompted by the fact that WWDC is a developer-focused event whose attendees overwhelmingly use Macs to create their apps and software. That means this summer’s event is a strong candidate for new MacBooks and Apple desktop computers.
That is by no means guaranteed, however. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has previously predicted that we won’t see the first M4 Macs until late 2024, which puts them many months away. That means 2024 could be a very slow year for the Mac.
In April, Gurman predicted the order in which Apple will release its M4 Macs. The process would start with a low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro and a 24-inch iMac around the end of 2024, Gurman argued, followed by high-end 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pros with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, which would arrive some time between late 2024 and early 2025. A Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chip options would also launch around this time.
After that, Gurman believes 15-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs are coming in spring 2025, with the M4-series Mac Studio making its debut in summer 2025. Finally, the Mac Pro will step up to M4-series chips in late 2025. That’s a long wait.
And most importantly, that means the iPad Pro will put certain parts of the Mac lineup in a precarious position, especially since it will have more powerful chip than the similarly priced M3 MacBook Air for an entire year.
There’s a good reason why we might not see any Macs this summer. WWDC is one of the most important Apple events of the year, and it seems the 2024 edition is going to be overwhelmingly focused on software. Specifically, Apple intends to spend most of its time discussing its new AI tools and features, which leaves little time for any Mac hardware announcements.
In fact, it’s thought that one reason Apple decided to host the May iPad event was to “lay out its AI chip strategy without distraction,” says Gurman. In other words, it could put an emphasis on chip hardware rather than software. That would allow Apple to “focus on how the M4 chip and new iPad Pros will take advantage of the AI software and services coming as part of iPadOS 18 later this year” at WWDC.
On the face of it, that doesn’t seem to leave much room for Macs. While we could end up being surprised this summer, the safe bet is that we won’t see any new MacBooks or desktop computers until the fall or winter. And that’s probably going to feel like an awfully long wait given what Apple says the M4 chip is capable of.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
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The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.