Apple testing M4 Macs, pointing to October MacBook Pro release

Recently discovered developer test logs suggest that Apple is preparing to release a new M4 Mac a month after the iPhone 16 event.

As we move into the second half of 2024, many Apple fans are preparing for the highly anticipated iPhone event, where the tech giant will unveil the iPhone 16. However, the iPhone isn't the only thing we can look forward to this year - new Macs are also expected to be released.

Apple has begun testing unreleased Mac models to ensure compatibility with third-party applications, according to developer test logs seen by Bloomberg. The Macs being tested have been identified as "16,1," "16,2," "16,3," and "16,10."

Each Mac is a base-level version of a machine equipped with an M4 chip. Of the four, three have 10 total cores in their CPUs, while one lower-end has eight cores. The 10-core CPUs tested also have 10-core graphics processing units, while the eight-core CPU has an eight-core GPU. All models being tested have either 16 or 32 gigabytes of memory.

This would suggest that the models being tested are likely a new MacBook Pro lineup. As they are being tested, it would make sense to see a new M4 MacBook Pro line as early as October.

An October launch would also align Apple's previous months-long gap between the base M-series chip and the Pro and Max releases in the M1 and M2 generations. The October 2023 update saw all three chip tiers introduced simultaneously and in the MacBook Air lineup.

While there's no concrete way to tell when Apple is going to launch a product, it's likely that we'll see the MacBook Pro and Mac mini lines updated first. The iMac could also see a refresh this fall, but we anticipate the MacBook Air will need to wait until spring of 2025 before its jump to M4.

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16 Comments

netrox 1473 comments · 12 Years

About 2 weeks ago

I hope that means the end of 8GB as the base model!

tipoo 1117 comments · 14 Years

Wait wait wait, does this report say that it's not just moving the base from 8GB to 12GB as speculated, but the entry level is now 16GB? That's great news if that's what it's saying! Hope there aren't 8GB entry-er models hiding out there

8 core M4 instead of the already binned iPad Pro's 9 core is slightly odd, but it's 4+4 instead of 3+6 so probably makes sense from an available power and thermal situation

danox 3225 comments · 11 Years

netrox said:

I hope that means the end of 8GB as the base model!

Don’t worry, be happy https://www.youtube.com/@AZisk

tht 5519 comments · 23 Years

Each Mac is a base-level version of a machine equipped with an M4 chip. Of the four, three have 10 total cores in their CPUs, while one lower-end has eight cores.
Hmm, for different Mac product lines or 4 options in 1 or 2 M4 Mac products?

M4 iMac
M4 Mac mini
M4 Macbook Air
M4 Macbook Pro

Could be a really fast 6 month life for the M3 MBA15. Would be a miracle if the iMac is updated within a year.

This might be the year my 2013 iMac 27" is retired. It's still going though. We don't use it for anything other than as a server, mostly.

tht said:

Each Mac is a base-level version of a machine equipped with an M4 chip. Of the four, three have 10 total cores in their CPUs, while one lower-end has eight cores.
Hmm, for different Mac product lines or 4 options in 1 or 2 M4 Mac products?

M4 iMac
M4 Mac mini
M4 Macbook Air
M4 Macbook Pro

Could be a really fast 6 month life for the M3 MBA15. Would be a miracle if the iMac is updated within a year.

This might be the year my 2013 iMac 27" is retired. It's still going though. We don't use it for anything other than as a server, mostly.

I hope you get your wish the large screen iMacs are so cost-effective, a powerful large screen iMac in the XDR enclosure would be awesome to late for me I had to upgrade to a Studio Mac/XDR from a 2011 iMac. (had to have the graphics card replaced once along the way with the 27” 2011 iMac).