An interesting slide during the keynote 🤔

[DHagan4755]

As John Ternus wraps up the Mac announcements & pronounces the transition to Apple silicon complete, Apple puts up this slide to convey their Mac portfolio...yet it's conspicuously missing two particular Macs.

This slide makes the Mac line up looks simple, clean & easy to understand. Apple's done this sort of slide before but I don't recall them ever omitting Macs they're still selling.

Despite Mark Gurman's claim the 13" MacBook Pro will live on with M3 it really feels like both the 13" MacBook Air M1 & the 13" MacBook Pro aren't long for the lineup with this slide perhaps providing a clue. So will we see an M2 iMac or is this it for the year?

 

[russell_314]

As John Ternus wraps up the Mac announcements & pronounces the transition to Apple silicon complete, Apple puts up this slide to convey their Mac portfolio...yet it's conspicuously missing two particular Macs.

View attachment 2215431

This slide makes the Mac line up looks simple, clean & easy to understand. Apple's done this sort of slide before but I don't recall them ever omitting Macs they're still selling.

Despite Mark Gurman's claim the 13" MacBook Pro will live on with M3 it really feels like both the 13" MacBook Air M1 & the 13" MacBook Pro aren't long for the lineup with this slide perhaps providing a clue. So will we see an M2 iMac or is this it for the year?

They're the old Intel design. Of course they're not on the slide and they will be the first to go. Apple is just keeping them around for a budget model

 

[spiderman0616]

I think you spotted a good talking point here. Like @russell_314 mentioned, they're probably just avoiding associating Apple Silicon with old design, even if it's just for the sake of making the picture look cleaner.

On the flip side, don't forget, they also just lowered the price of the smaller M2 Air. It's not $999 but it's a lot closer.

 

[DHagan4755]

The Mac mini’s design is like 14 years old. And while the Mac Pro design is newer it’s still a carry over from Intel. There’s nothing prima facia that makes them look dated. The 13” MacBook Air M1 & 13” MacBook Pro on the other hand look dated with their thicker bezels.

This slide was shown again later when Craig talked about macOS Sonoma. So clearly it’s how Apple sees the Mac lineup moving forward.

 

[Longplays]

Despite Mark Gurman's claim the 13" MacBook Pro will live on with M3 it really feels like both the 13" MacBook Air M1 & the 13" MacBook Pro aren't long for the lineup with this slide perhaps providing a clue. So will we see an M2 iMac or is this it for the year?

I think Apple wants more demand for newer Macs as they likely have a better margins.

I am hoping for a 24" and hopefully larger iMac M2, M2 Pro and M2 Max within 4 months.

Any later and we enter Q1 2024 when the 3nm M3 is expected to launch.

The likely price points for a larger iMac could be the following

- $1,799 M2
- $2,499 M2 Pro
- $3,199 M2 Max
- $5,199 M2 Ultra
- $9,199 M2 Extreme

Take note that the basis of that assumption is the base model 2019 iMac 21.5" 4K Core i3 14nm and 2021 iMac 24" 4.5K M1 5nm share the same $1,299 price point.

This was how I arrived at the larger iMac M2 being priced the same as a base model 2020 iMac 27" 5K Core i5 14nm.

A larger iMac M2 is exceptional value considering that for $200 more than the $1,599 2021 Studio Display 27" 5K you get

- M2 5nm
- Keyboard
- Trackpad

If it has Target Display Mode then you can later upgrade to a 2034 Mac mini M9 0.5nm (A5). Consumes no more than 30W of power but the performance leagues better than a 2023 M2 Ultra 2-Die.

 

[Longplays]

The Mac mini’s design is like 14 years old. And while the Mac Pro design is newer it’s still a carry over from Intel. There’s nothing prima facia that makes them look dated. The 13” MacBook Air M1 & 13” MacBook Pro on the other hand look dated with their thicker bezels.

Reasons of keeping the 14yo Mac mini design has something to do with its use case for data centers.

Changing it would require a retooling of them.

Another would be the R&D resources for redesigning them. It may necessitate a price bump.

I also would not be surprised that the M2 Pro SKU is being somewhat subsidized by M2 SKUs.

If you open up a Mac mini M2 SKU the logic board is about the size of an iPhone.

Last year a YouTuber was able to fit the M1's logic board into a case that was 78% less volume.

 

[DHagan4755]

Reasons of keeping the 14yo Mac mini design has something to do with its use case for data centers.

Changing it would require a retooling of them.

And the fact that there's nothing wrong with it. The Mac mini's current design gave Apple the flexibility to add the hotter running M2 Pro. Despite not owning one, I very much like its design. In fact, I'd rather have a Mac mini with a display than an iMac.

 

[senttoschool]

This slide makes the Mac line up looks simple, clean & easy to understand. Apple's done this sort of slide before but I don't recall them ever omitting Macs they're still selling.

Despite Mark Gurman's claim the 13" MacBook Pro will live on with M3 it really feels like both the 13" MacBook Air M1 & the 13" MacBook Pro aren't long for the lineup with this slide perhaps providing a clue. So will we see an M2 iMac or is this it for the year?

I've been saying that the 13" MBP lived for so long for 3 reasons:

• It allowed Apple to keep using a well-oiled supply chain to make more Apple Silicon Macs. If you recall, Apple couldn't keep up with Mac production during the pandemic. So why not keep the 13" MBP, which has had a supply chain since 2016?
• It filled the very empty price gap between the $1099 Macbok Air and the $1,999 14" MBP. The arrival of the 15" MBA should now replace the 13" MBP in the gap.
• It allowed the M1 and M2 to run at maximum speed for initial benchmarks. Because it has a fan, it does not throttle the M1 and M2. This means the media and discussions can reference the faster benchmark results from the 13" MBP.

The thing is, Apple engineers probably want to get rid of touch-bar Macs as soon as possible so they can stop supporting it in software. It's a hassle and a dead end. But in the end, they needed to solve business problems first, not technical ones. I'd be very surprised if the 13" MBP is still alive in the M3 era.

 

[DHagan4755]

I've been saying that the 13" MBP lived for so long for 3 reasons:

• It allowed Apple to keep using a well-oiled supply chain to make more Apple Silicon Macs. If you recall, Apple couldn't keep up with Mac production during the pandemic. So why not keep the 13" MBP, which has had a supply chain since 2016?
• It filled the very empty price gap between the $1099 Macbok Air and the $1,999 14" MBP. The arrival of the 15" MBA should now replace the 13" MBP in the gap.
• It allowed the M1 and M2 to run at maximum speed for initial benchmarks. Because it has a fan, it does not throttle the M1 and M2. This means the media and discussions can reference the faster benchmark results from the 13" MBP.

The thing is, Apple engineers probably want to get rid of touch-bar Macs as soon as possible so they can stop supporting it in software. It's a hassle and a dead end. But in the end, they needed to solve business problems first, not technical ones.

No doubt you may be right but that was then & WWDC is now.

Although rumors of this are now scant, there were murmurs of a 12" MacBook Pro. With M3 around the corner so to speak Apple could be planning on revamping the 13" MacBook Pro with the current MacBook aesthetic in a 12" MacBook Pro M3 with active cooling (not with M3 Pro/Max - just M3). Imagine that with mini LED & 120Hz.

 

[senttoschool]

No doubt you may be right but that was then & WWDC is now.

Although rumors of this are now scant, there were murmurs of a 12" MacBook Pro. With M3 around the corner so to speak Apple could be planning on revamping the 13" MacBook Pro with the current MacBook aesthetic in a 12" MacBook Pro M3 with active cooling (not with M3 Pro/Max - just M3). Imagine that with mini LED & 120Hz.

Then it will be a 12" Macbook Pro and it will have nothing to do with the current 13" MBP.

I doubt they will have any similar aesthetics between the 13" MBP and a hypothetical 12" MBP. If Apple makes a 12" MBP, it will look like a scaled down version of the 14" MBP.

Again, I'd be extremely surprised if the 13" MBP will be alive by the time M3 ships.

 

[spiderman0616]

The Mac mini’s design is like 14 years old. And while the Mac Pro design is newer it’s still a carry over from Intel. There’s nothing prima facia that makes them look dated. The 13” MacBook Air M1 & 13” MacBook Pro on the other hand look dated with their thicker bezels.

This slide was shown again later when Craig talked about macOS Sonoma. So clearly it’s how Apple sees the Mac lineup moving forward.

I know I'm in the minority here, so nobody get mad at me, but I can't wait for the old Air design to be gone. I loved my M1 MBA as far as its performance and battery life, but I HATE that wedge design and always have. It's mostly an optical illusion anyway and makes the computer feel asymmetrical and weird to me.

The Mac mini design I still love though, and there is something special about that old MBP design. Still looks nice to me.

 

[SalisburySam]

I think Apple wants more demand for newer Macs as they likely have a better margins.

Possible, but likely not. The older designs and devices have largely had their design and development costs written off, the production facilities are already optimized, and I would guess the marginal cost of an older model is almost round off error at this point so mostly pure profit. That said, it is not Apple’s DNA to perpetuate that which is no longer cool.

 

[anselpela]

As John Ternus wraps up the Mac announcements & pronounces the transition to Apple silicon complete, Apple puts up this slide to convey their Mac portfolio...yet it's conspicuously missing two particular Macs.

View attachment 2215431

This slide makes the Mac line up looks simple, clean & easy to understand. Apple's done this sort of slide before but I don't recall them ever omitting Macs they're still selling.

Despite Mark Gurman's claim the 13" MacBook Pro will live on with M3 it really feels like both the 13" MacBook Air M1 & the 13" MacBook Pro aren't long for the lineup with this slide perhaps providing a clue. So will we see an M2 iMac or is this it for the year?

Both of those feature old designs. That's the only reason they're not clogging up this clean graphic. But they both sell extremely well, so they're not going anywhere.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

As John Ternus wraps up the Mac announcements & pronounces the transition to Apple silicon complete, Apple puts up this slide to convey their Mac portfolio...yet it's conspicuously missing two particular Macs.

View attachment 2215431

This slide makes the Mac line up looks simple, clean & easy to understand. Apple's done this sort of slide before but I don't recall them ever omitting Macs they're still selling.

Despite Mark Gurman's claim the 13" MacBook Pro will live on with M3 it really feels like both the 13" MacBook Air M1 & the 13" MacBook Pro aren't long for the lineup with this slide perhaps providing a clue. So will we see an M2 iMac or is this it for the year?

The M1 Macbook Air is last generation so it's obvious why that's missing since this is the M2 lineup. It's the same reason Apple doesn't highlight last generation's iPhones when showing off their lineup.

The M2 13 inch Pro being gone is the real interesting part. I don't really blame them since that Macbook is unpopular and redundant. I have...no idea, what purpose this computer serves. I mean, it has the touch bar...and it does have a a heatsink with fans...but that's it! The performance gain is not very high and both the M2 13 inch and 15 inch Macbook Airs are a lot cheaper, and when you spec out that 13 Pro with 16 gb of RAM and 512 gb of storage, it's now roughly the same cost as the much better 14 inch Macbook Pro.

I will be absolutely shocked if they bring back the 13 inch Memebook Pro for M3, and it STILL keeps that outdated horrible design. Back during Intel era the laptop had a purpose, but with Apple Silicon it's just a waste of money now. Now what they could do is rebrand it as "The Macbook" or make it a Macbook SE, but let's be real they won't do that and tbh the M1 Macbook Air would serve better as a Macbook SE.

 

[orionquest]

Meh making something out of nothing. It's a basic visual, it may not represent exactly the line up.

 

[Falhófnir]

They sold the 2012 13" MBP until 2016, and I don't think it was in any marketing material after it was no longer current?

 

[ricketysquire]

If that's the case they should rename the MacBook Air to the MacBook. That makes the most sense, consumer vs pro or just my incessant need for product lines and product names to make sense.

 

[Longplays]

They sold the 2012 13" MBP until 2016, and I don't think it was in any marketing material after it was no longer current?

Apple continued selling it for the users that still wanted SuperDrives.

Demand evaporated by 2016.

Nearly a decade later it was made vintage and received its final macOS Security Update.

I'd have replaced it with any M2 Mac to enjoy its final macOS Security Update by 2032.

 

[TechnoMonk]

MBP 13 needs to go. With MBA 13 and 15, MBP 14, it’s not so relevant anymore.

 

[Tagbert]

The M1 Macbook Air is last generation so it's obvious why that's missing since this is the M2 lineup. It's the same reason Apple doesn't highlight last generation's iPhones when showing off their lineup.

The M2 13 inch Pro being gone is the real interesting part. I don't really blame them since that Macbook is unpopular and redundant. I have...no idea, what purpose this computer serves. I mean, it has the touch bar...and it does have a a heatsink with fans...but that's it! The performance gain is not very high and both the M2 13 inch and 15 inch Macbook Airs are a lot cheaper, and when you spec out that 13 Pro with 16 gb of RAM and 512 gb of storage, it's now roughly the same cost as the much better 14 inch Macbook Pro.

I will be absolutely shocked if they bring back the 13 inch Memebook Pro for M3, and it STILL keeps that outdated horrible design. Back during Intel era the laptop had a purpose, but with Apple Silicon it's just a waste of money now. Now what they could do is rebrand it as "The Macbook" or make it a Macbook SE, but let's be real they won't do that and tbh the M1 Macbook Air would serve better as a Macbook SE.

I think that the 13" MBP is mainly purchased in bulk by by large organizations to meet specifications and likely not a big seller in the consumer market. Its a little like some of the models that Apple kept around and sold mainly through educational channels.

 

[Tagbert]

If that's the case they should rename the MacBook Air to the MacBook. That makes the most sense, consumer vs pro or just my incessant need for product lines and product names to make sense.

Apple seems to have settle on the Air as the name for their consumer laptops. It might not make sense in the absolute descriptive sense but they learned this lesson when they brought out the 12" Macbook. It seem clear that it was intended to replace the MacBook Air, but it never could gain enough sales compared to the Air. The Macbook was more expensive because it was the first with the Retina display but that wasn't enough to change people's minds. They kept buying the Airs.

If there is a new 12" thin and light laptop, it will likely be in the Air line and cheaper than the 13" M2 Air

 

[ChrisA]

And the fact that there's nothing wrong with it. The Mac mini's current design gave Apple the flexibility to add the hotter running M2 Pro. Despite not owning one, I very much like its design. In fact, I'd rather have a Mac mini with a display than an iMac.

I just replaced an old Intel iMac with a 27", 4K monitor and a Mac Mini. I think Apple needs to keep the "Mini" at its current size. It needs to be as large as it is just so the ports can fit across the rear. Making it smaller means fewer USB. HDMI or Thunderbolt ports.

With a notebook, you can put half the ports on each side, but with a Mini they need to all be along the rear

Ad yes cooling is an issue. Right now my 10-core M2 Pro is not even warm as I type this. But when pushed it does heat up a littem nd feels slightly warm. Making it smaller would mean the fan would need to come on

 

[Longplays]

I think Apple needs to keep the "Mini" at its current size. It needs to be as large as it is just so the ports can fit across the rear. Making it smaller means fewer USB. HDMI or Thunderbolt ports.

Pardon the 3D printed polymer case but a YouTuber was able halve length of a Mac mini M1 and kept the width slighly smaller. This reduce its overall volume

With a notebook, you can put half the ports on each side, but with a Mini they need to all be along the rear

Ad yes cooling is an issue. Right now my 10-core M2 Pro is not even warm as I type this. But when pushed it does heat up a littem nd feels slightly warm. Making it smaller would mean the fan would need to come on

I think Apple kept the Mac mini as is to accommodate the M2 Pro's larger size.

 

[hagjohn]

No thanks. That 3D printed one will probably pop up in the front pretty easy when you plug in a few items.

 

[Longplays]

No thanks. That 3D printed one will probably pop up in the front pretty easy when you plug in a few items.

The point I am getting at is the M1 logic board can fit into a smaller enclosure.

It would just disrupt a lot of people with the change.