Will Apple’s March surprise be a new MacBook Pro?

Apple’s first M1-powered Macs included a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini

Digitimes tells us Apple intends introducing a new model of MacBook Pro perhaps as soon as March, alongside the iPhone SE 3 and a new iPad Air 5, which is news to most.

Spring comes early

This news comes as a surprise, if we’re honest, as the report claims the new entry-level MacBook Pro may also be the first one to be equipped with a new version M series chip, though this sounds a little off to us.

Though Apple is expected to introduce Macs equipped with an M2 processor this year, it seems strange to see a new higher (Pro) product appear before the first stage of the transition to Apple Silicon is complete.

Though it would put Apple comfortably inside an 18-month window for new iterations of its processor to appear, given the model it would be upgrading is a Mac first introduced 17 months ago, in October 2020.

We had expected some Mac action, principally a Mac mini with a M1 Pro or M1 Max processor.

A chance to blow our minds?

Of course, if you press all the speculation together it could be that Apple intends blowing everybody’s minds with a significant upgrade across all its first Apple Silicon products, though doing so does seem odd given these fantastic Macs will still be amomg the best computers money can buy in another six months’ time.

In terms of power, performance, and energy efficiency, they lead in their segments, and most Mac watchers are on tenterhooks awaiting introduction of what is expected to be an almost superpowered Mac Pro with Apple Silicon.

[Also read: Mac & iPad users rejoice: Universal Control is coming soon!]

All the same, any decision to show off its processor prowess with a brand-new iteration months ahead of any anticipated schedule would be a classic example of Apple pressing home its growing market advantage.

Leaping into leadership

Given the growing numbers of M-series Macs in use out there, Apple would be telling the entire industry that it’s prepared to leapfrog into leadership, and that Macs will never again be seen as underpowered.

I’m not convinced we’ll see an M2 MacBook Pro in March – though it does seem possible the company may improve that product, as it seems a little underpowered for its pro moniker now the M1 Pro and M1 Max Macs are in the frame. I’m giving this a 3/2 odds against – it could happen, but it may not.

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