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Apple’s big M3 MacBook event could be in danger

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We’re only about a couple weeks or so out from Apple’s September event, where the company will unveil its iPhone 15 and a slate of brand new Apple Watches. But if you’re holding out for a new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, don’t get your hopes up — these laptops, which are rumored to be outfitted with one of the most significant chip upgrades in years, aren’t expected to come until October.

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, the show will be the first time the public casts eyes on the iPhone 15 range, as well as the Apple Watch Series 9 (and potentially a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra). It’ll follow the now-established pattern of a prerecorded video followed by an in-person hands-on session.

Apple CEO Tim Cook looks at a display of brand new redesigned MacBook Air laptop during the WWDC22
Getty Images / Getty Images

However, the newsletter states that “there’s also another launch occurring in October,” which will be dedicated to the first M3 Macs. As has been previously reported, those first M3 Macs are expected to include the 13-inch MacBook Pro, 13-inch MacBook Air, and the 24-inch iMac. The 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro (with M3 Pro and M3 Ultra chips) are likely to come at a later event.

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Crucially, Gurman says there’s a possibility that the October show will not be a “formal event.” In other words, Apple could simply announce the Mac upgrades via press releases, rather than dedicating a separate event to them. That would undoubtedly be disappointing for Mac fans eagerly expecting some new hardware sooner rather than later.

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So, what’s the fuss about Macs not being updated until October? After all, hasn’t Apple held October events for its laptops and desktops in the past?

Well, it has, and the M3 chip is expected to be a substantial improvement to the chip that powers Apple’s Macs. After the incremental change that the M2 brought, the M3 is likely to shake things up in a major way.

That’s because it’s widely expected to be the first Apple chip that is made using a 3-nanometer process. This will bring a noticeable increase in the performance and efficiency of the chips, making the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air great options if you’re thinking of buying a new Apple laptop.

With that kind of upgrade in the offing, it would be highly unusual for Apple to relegate the laptops with a couple of quick press releases. It would make much more sense for Apple to unveil them at an event where it could go into detail about the improvements and attempt to wow its audience. That it might not do that feels like a curious decision indeed.

Still, it is apparently not yet set in stone, according to the Power On newsletter. Here’s hoping Apple sees sense and decides a proper show is the way to go for what could become its best MacBooks since the M1 chips debuted in 2020.

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Alex Blake
Alex Blake
Computing Writer
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