Why the M2 Macbook Pros are Delayed [Explained]

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If you are waiting for a Mac-specific fall event from Apple and have set eyes on a new MacBook Pro with supercharged graphics and powerful performance, you might need to temper your expectations

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple isn’t planning to launch updates to MacBook Pro and Mac mini this year. Instead, new versions of M2-powered Macs will only launch in 2023.

There are plenty of explanations for Apple’s decision. The economy, new lockdowns in China and Apple’s own growth cycle may be to blame. In this article we will explain each one of these reasons plus others.

What we know from Gurman

Gurman doesn’t explain the exact cause of the delay. However, from the Chinese social media Naver, the adjuster of the disclosure is caused by problems at the chip maker TSMC. The Taiwanese chip maker would have difficulty producing 3nm chips. As previously leaked, this new process is being used in the upcoming MacBook Pro devices for the new Apple M2-Chips.

Gurman also claims that design-wise, the new MacBook Pros will resemble the current-generation models powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, but they will come with the all-new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors. According to him, the M2 Max will have up to 12 CPU cores instead of the 10 on the M1 Max, while its GPU cores will increase from 32 to 38.

Mac revenue is expected to fall in Q1 2023

Apple isn’t known for talking about its unannounced products ahead of the official debut but on rare occasions, it does hint at forecasting the product category and how it aligns with the company’s overall roadmap. During the company’s earnings call last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the holiday lineup is “set” which means there won’t be newer products coming later this year. Clearly, an indication the new Macs are not part of the 2022 lineup. At the same time, Apple expects Mac revenue to fall “substantially” during the holiday quarter. Yet another sign that Apple isn’t planning to launch M2-powered MacBooks and Mac minis in November.

Covid-19 shutdowns in China

The resurgence of Covid-19 cases in China and stringent Covid restrictions has impacted Apple, including disruption of supply-chain for manufacturing. As of now, there is no information on how the Covid outbreak is impacting Apple’s Mac suppliers in China and the production of MacBook Pros. But Foxconn, Apple’s biggest supplier, has been struggling to keep up the production of iPhones. Reuters recently reported that a Covid-19 outbreak in China and events that are unfolding at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant could cut Apple’s November output by 30 per cent.

The scale at which Covid-19 cases are rising in China could ultimately hit the production of Macs, which could be the reason why Apple has pushed the release date of high-end MacBook Pros until the situation improves in the world’s largest manufacturing hub.

A slowing PC and Mac market

Sales of personal computers have been crashing after a pandemic boom, sending a signal that demand for PCs will continue to be on the lower side during holidays . Worldwide PC shipments plunged 19.5 per cent year-over-year in the third quarter, according to market research firm Gartner.

Apple performed better than other major PC brands but shipments of Macs fell by 15.6 per cent. Even though the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros cater to professional users who are heavy spenders, the market is just not right to launch new Macs due to the global economic slowdown and high inflation.

Apple launching the AR/VR headset

We saw several reports recently claiming that Apple’s mixed reality devices are coming very soon.

How is all this connected to the delay in the M2 MacBook Pro launch? Well the mixed reality headset will run on a powerful chip from Apple, with the most recent rumors claiming it will be a variant of the M2. Previous reports had pointed to the gadget running the M1 variant.

As a result, mixed reality headsets should be at least as powerful as a MacBook Air or entry-level Pro, if not better. And it will run an iOS-based operating system optimized for augmented and virtual reality experiences.

I’m only guessing at this point, but what if Apple delayed the M2 MacBook Pro announcement to launch all of these devices at the same time?

When could M2 Macbook Pros come?

If we look at the times that have been indicated in the information and others that had been published before, it is normal for this to happen between February and March 2023.

If this will be only an Internal upgrade then Apple will just put out a press release like they did before. But if we get a keynote then it will definitely feature more devices along the Macbook Pros.

Apple is said to be testing a new Mac mini powered by the M2 chipset. It will be the first update to the Apple Silicon Mac mini since its launch in 2020. Apple is also said to be testing the M2 Ultra Mac Pro which didn’t get an upgrade since 2019.

Verdict

So the question remains: Should you buy the 14inch or 16inch Macbook Pro now or wait for the new M2 Macbook Pros ? Well I think if you really need a Macbook now then get it now, there will always be a better version down the line. But if you can hold on a bit, I think the M2 Pro will be more power efficient than the M1 Pro and deliver longer battery life, the performance would be up to 20% higher on paper. Plus they will use LPDDR5X memory, which will optimize the speed of work in heavy duty programs.

In general I always avoid buying first generation anything in Tech, usually the second or third generation of any Device is the sweet spot, having said that, The current Macbook Pros are more than good enough and will last for years to come. Also keep in mind that the design will most probably remain the same.

If you’re looking to buy a Macbook Pro now then check my comparison between the 14 and 16inc, and my buyer’s guide in this article: 14″ Macbook Pro vs 16″ Macbook Pro : Ultimate Comparison

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