Not much will happen to the Mac in the spring, if we are to believe the rumour mill, but things will really change from the summer onwards.
This summer’s WWDC 2021 may bring intriguing news for Mac users, but it is from the third quarter of this year that the new hardware will start to launch. And the new machines will give everyone, at least on paper, exactly what we’ve been asking for.
One of the bigger announcements of the year will be the arrival of a brand-new iMac. According to Bloomberg, this desktop computer will be “one of the biggest visual updates to any Apple product this year”. For the first time since 2004, iMac will lose the “chin” that has characterised iMac design for 17 years.
With smaller screen edges and a much more modern design reminiscent of the Pro Display XDR, this could undoubtedly be one of the biggest Mac announcements of the year. Read more about this report here: Redesigned iMac and G4 Cube-like Mac Pro coming.
But more is on the way. The M1-equipped MacBook Pro that we’ve already seen is just the beginning of the shift to Apple’s own processors. During the year, we expect to see a completely new MacBook Pro model that has already taken Apple’s faster and more energy-efficient processors into account from the drawing board, instead of being originally designed around Intel.
We’re talking about a design whose flat edges take inspiration from the iPad Pro and iPhone 12; there are also rumours about MagSafe’s return, the removal of the Touch Bar and the addition of extra ports. This could be a wonderful little machine. If the rumours are true, it seems that Apple will give the MacBook Pro everything it currently lacks.
As for the Mac Pro, it looks like the Intel version will be updated and survive for a while. More intriguingly, this model will reportedly be supplemented by another desktop Mac, half the size of the Mac Pro and with a design that’s reminiscent of the old Power Mac G4 Cube. It sounds exciting – is this a reinterpretation of the Mac mini or a full-blooded Mac Pro intended to replace the larger Intel model within a couple of years? We’ll find out later in 2021.
Apple may also release a new external display, something else that we’ve requested. For those who want to complement their Mac with a screen which offers the same aesthetics and a cohesive user experience, there is currently no reasonable screen choice from Apple.
Should we believe the rumours, Apple has listened. It will release a screen which, unlike the Pro Display XDR, is aimed at consumers, with a lower price tag. A sequel to the old Thunderbolt Display, in other words.
The year 2021 can represent a real kickstart for the Mac, the continuation of a process initiated with the M1 in 2020. We could see a new design planned from the ground up for Apple Silicon, and brand-new products such as a new screen and a mini Mac Pro.
Of course, there remain question marks, but on the whole it promises well. This may be one of the better years so far for Mac.
And if you can’t wait for the new announcements, check our roundup of the best Apple deals for great deals on the current range.
This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation by David Price.