M4 MacBook Pro rumored to already be in development at Apple

The transition to Apple Silicon from Intel left many unknowns, like how often Apple would iterate and release chipsets. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a curveball and ruined any ability to predict the cycle early on, but rumors of M4 entering development hint at what to expect going forward.

Apple Silicon entered its third generation in October 2023 with the announcement of three chipsets — M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max. It was the first time Apple announced three chips at once, leaving only the M3 Ultra for a later date.

There are rumors of an M4 entering development, even though the M3 MacBook Air was released only days prior. Apple is always pushing for the next product internally, but it raises the frequency question again.

Apple's Silicon release cycle

The M1 release cycle was extended for multiple reasons, primarily because of the pandemic and how it affected the supply chain. M1 was first revealed in November 2020, and the release cycle was completed in March 2022.

The M2 underwent an accelerated release cycle, starting with its reveal in June 2022 and ending with the M2 Ultra in June 2023 — just one year later.

Mere months pass, and M3 is revealed in October 2023 alongside M3 Pro and M3 Max. It seems M3 Ultra could be revealed somewhere between June and November 2024.

That leaves M4 to be announced no sooner than late 2024 or early 2025. It seems incredible that Apple would iterate Mac chipsets and product lines annually, but it already does so with iPhone.

A rumor hinting at what's next

Recall that one of the significant reasons Apple pivoted to Apple Silicon was to control the product pipeline and know when new chips were coming. Intel did not give the company such an affordance, leaving some product lines to languish as chips were delayed repeatedly.

The M4 rumor comes from a throwaway comment at the end of an Apple Car Q&A held by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This tidbit was first covered by MacRumors.

You don't have to have deep industry sources to know Apple is working on M4, but the timing hasn't always been predictable. Gurman stated that M4 "just started formal development," providing a glimpse into the potential release timeline for the next generation of Apple Silicon.