Apple Targets Tech Leap with M3-Powered Mac Studio, Upgraded Mac Pro

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is working on a new Mac Studio, which will be released in the second half of 2024.

Apple Developing Next-Generation Mac Studio and Mac Pro

Gurman highlighted the facts in the "Power On" newsletter this weekend. He indicated that the new Mac Studio will most likely be available with the yet-to-be-announced fourth iteration of the M3 processor. This generation, like previous generations, will double the components of the "Max" version, resulting in up to 32 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores.

TrendForce, a Taiwanese research group, predicts Apple will unveil a new Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra CPU at WWDC in June, much as it did with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra Mac Studios last year. Gurman said that Apple was already working on two follow-up machines before the release of these versions in 2023.

Gurman also believes that, contrary to prior reports, Apple will likely upgrade the Mac Pro with this new high-end CPU. He does not believe Apple would dump the machine again after only one year.

While forthcoming gadgets like the M3 MacBook Air may be successful if well-advertised, the Mac roadmap for 2024 appears "otherwise muted," implying some uncertainty about Apple's ability to turn around the Mac's lagging sales.

'Imminent' Vision Pro Launch as Retail Stores Prepare

Also, Mark Gurman claimed Apple's Vision Pro headset is nearing completion as retail locations complete final preparations for the device's release. The Vision Pro is already arriving in modest quantities to warehouses across the United States, according to Gurman's monthly "Power On" email, ahead of direct distribution to Apple retail locations.

While the firm has not yet set a release date, it appears to be expected that enough stock will be available in the nation by the end of January to start in February, according to MacRumors. Surprisingly, Gurman anticipates Apple making a Vision Pro-related announcement "in the next week or so" to "take some of the spotlight away from CES," which begins on Tuesday, January 9.

On January 21, all Apple Stores in the United States will host a unique three-hour-long meeting for all staff, which will most likely include training and an explanation of the device's sales procedure. Additional training sessions appear to be scheduled for the coming days, followed by the arrival of additional inventory racks and backroom equipment.

Gurman also noted that Luxshare, the Vision Pro's Chinese assembler, held a delivery ceremony last month to mark the first official shipments of the completed product, and Apple has now allegedly filed design patents "for every hardware and software element of the device," implying that a launch is imminent.

It's unclear whether the Vision Pro will be available for pre-order online right now. Apple may initially only provide an online reservation for a light seal and headband fitting appointment at an Apple Store.

Gurman expects that the introduction of Vision Pro in other countries will not be "actually that much later" than the release in the United States. According to reports, Apple is eyeing the United Kingdom, Canada, and China as the next markets for the gadget.

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