Top 5 Apple Devices Overdue for Updates

Several Apple devices are now over 18 months old, and with new hardware that could bring valuable improvements to them on the horizon, many of which already exist in other devices, there are five significant products that appear to be overdue. of an update.

While some devices like the Pro Display XDR and HomePod mini also need to be updated, there are at least five major Apple devices that seem to be lagging behind in refresh – where a new model could bring substantial improvements. Likewise, over time, it becomes increasingly difficult for Apple to justify leaving these devices in its product line without a hardware update.

Be sure to refer to MacRumors Buyer’s guide to constant updates on the age and status of all products released by Apple, as well as when updates can reasonably be expected based on the release date of new models in previous years.

5.iMac

Current model released in April 2021 (one year and seven months).

Although there is some controversy over whether Apple will reintroduce a larger iMac model, the current model with a 24-inch screen has the M1 chip, which means it is outdated compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, redesigned MacBook Air and iPad Pro. . Apple announced the M2 chip in early June this year at WWDC, and since three different devices now contain the chip, the iMac is ripe for a chip upgrade.

Yet reports of Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman suggest that an ‌iMac‌ with the M2 chip isn’t on the horizon. After the ‌M2‌ series of Macs, Gurman said a new ‌iMac‌ will be part of the first series of M3 Macs, which will include an updated 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, an all-new 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, and potentially a new 12 inch laptop that is “still in early development”.

The ‌M3‌ chip is expected to be built on TSMC’s 3nm technology, unlike the ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌, which are built using a 5nm process. The more advanced manufacturing process should bring significant improvements in performance and efficiency.

The device is expected to be the successor to the current ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ and may not launch until late 2023 at the earliest, according to Gurman, meaning it may still be a while before a new ‌iMac‌ does not emerge. It’s unclear why Apple would exclude the ‌iMac‌ from the ‌M2‌ chip and wait for the ‌M3‌ chip to become available, especially since that means the current ‌M1‌ model would be around for a considerable time.

4.AirPods Max

Current model released in December 2020 (one year and 11 months).

Launched almost two years ago, the AirPods Max are the oldest AirPods still present in the Apple product line. Despite being the most expensive AirPods at $549, the ‌AirPods Max‌ lack a lot of features that came on the second-generation AirPods Pro earlier this year.

With the H2 chips, vastly improved Active Noise Cancellation, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, Adaptive Transparency, Skin Detection sensors, U1 chip, and Precision Seek, there’s a plethora of notable features that haven’t not yet added to ‌AirPods Max‌. The headphones could also get an updated selection of color options, MagSafe or USB-C charging, Conversation Boost, and sweat and water resistance.

The status of the next-gen ‌AirPods Max‌ is unclear at this time. In May 2021, Gurman said Apple isn’t actively working on second-generation AirPods Max, but it’s unclear if that’s still the case. Since Apple seems to release one new AirPods product per year, the ‌AirPods Max‌ might be the next to get a refresh.

3. Entry-level Mac Mini

Current model released in November 2020 (two years old).

The Mac mini ‌M1‌ is Apple’s oldest last-generation silicon Mac, and just like the 24-inch ‌iMac‌, it could benefit from an upgrade to the ‌M2‌ chip.

While adding an ‌M2‌ chip to the ‌Mac mini‌ would likely require limited internal modifications, Apple has so far neglected to do so. Reports earlier this year suggested Apple “originally planned” to introduce new ‌Mac mini‌ models in 2022, but those arrangements were “likely scrapped” in favor of the all-new Mac Studio. A new ‌Mac mini‌ with the ‌M2‌ chip is supposedly still in the works for a 2023 launch.

2. Mac Pro

Current model released in December 2019 (two years and 11 months).

The Mac Pro is one of the last Intel-based Mac models still on sale and the only remaining Mac product line without Apple silicon chip options. An all-new model that finally brings Apple silicon to the company’s top pros for Macs has now been over two years awaited. At its “Peek Performance” event earlier this year, Apple even directly teased the launch of the Apple Silicon Mac Pro, saying “that’s for another day.”

Previously, reports of a smaller Mac Pro model sitting somewhere between the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Pro‌ made it hard to know what to expect from the future of the high-end ‌Mac Pro‌ line, but it’s now clear that many of these rumors related to the Mac Studio, somewhat clarifying what to expect from the next-gen ‌Mac Pro‌.

Several reports of Bloomberg‌Mark Gurman‌ on Apple Silicon ‌Mac Pro‌ chip options and specs gives a pretty straightforward picture of what to expect from the new flagship Mac. According to Gurman, users will be able to configure the new ‌Mac Pro‌ with “‌M2‌ Ultra” and “M2 Extreme” chip options.

Yet beyond its basic specs, little is currently known about the device’s design, ports, performance, and potential for modularity and customization, in real world terms. Apple is expected to introduce the Apple Silicon ‌Mac Pro‌ next year, and it could accompany a “Pro” version of the Studio Display with a mini-LED panel and ProMotion support.

1.Intel Mac Mini

Current model released in October 2018 (four years and one month).

While the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ offers an entry-level model in the lineup, the high-end ‌Mac mini‌ still features an Intel processor. The high-end ‌Mac mini‌ was theoretically refreshed in 2020 when Apple doubled the storage on the device, but it’s otherwise identical to the unibody Space Gray 2018 model.

Apple is believed to have been working on a new Mac mini for some time. The potential to replace the older top-end model with an Apple silicon machine was previously at the center of rumors related to new Mac minis, but now it looks like the entry-level and top-end models could be refreshed simultaneously . Apple is believed to be working on two versions of the next-generation ‌Mac mini‌, one with the standard “M2” chip and a second high-end model with the “M2 Pro” chip.

A new high-end ‌Mac mini‌ with Apple silicon could have huge performance and efficiency advantages over the current model, and feature more Thunderbolt ports than the entry-level model. There is also the potential for a redesign. As a machine over two years before Apple began the transition to its own custom silicon chips in the Mac, and two years after the refresh of the entry-level ‌Mac mini‌, the high-end ‌Mac mini‌ seems to be the Apple device that is most in dire need of a hardware refresh.