See the future of the Mac

M3

Apple’s introduction of new Mac models at WWDC using the M2 Ultra means it has completed its lineup of M2 chips. With the release of the M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max, and M2 Ultra, Apple has filled out the generation with the same variants as its original M1.

Though there’s a slim chance that Apple could add more to the lineup, the rumor mill is quite sure that the M2 is complete, and that the M3 generation is the next future upgrade for Apple Silicon.

Apple did a lot with its M2 upgrade from M1, and with the prospect of M3 arriving soon, it’s worth trying to guess what Apple could actually come up with for the chip lineup.

Here, then, is AppleInsider’s best guess of what could be on the way, based on rumors and some educated guesses.

The easiest thing to consider is when Apple could bring out the M3 lineup. With the effective completion of M2, the first M3 could easily arrive within a few quarters.

Rumors about the chip claim that, with the 24-inch iMac missing out on M2, it is likely to skip ahead and become one of the first Macs running on M3. An October launch, as part of Apple’s typical fall release schedule, has already been declared.

The 13-inch MacBook Air is a good candidate for first-wave M3 Mac releases

There’s always a chance Apple could push the launches into early 2024, if it felt the need to give the M2 a bit more space to exist on the market before effectively becoming out of date. But then again, that would mean a whole six months to wait for a new Mac launch, which seems unlikely.

Apple is a creature of habit, and it likes to keep things extremely regular. This takes many forms, including the components used in its various products, and this also extends to its chip lineups.

The M1 lineup was made up of the original M1, followed by the M1 Pro and M1 Max which added more cores and other elements. Then there was the M1…