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Another Mac-less Apple event has come and gone

Chuong Nguyen
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Bill Roberson/DIgital Trends
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This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage

Apple kicked off this morning’s WWDC keynote by focusing on the latest software enhancements that will debut this fall with the release of MacOS Mojave with no mention of new Mac hardware. That’s to be expected given Apple traditionally likes to focus on the main features that will power its hardware rather than upstage its work on the operating system by announcing a new Mac.

Still, prior to the keynote, some Apple faithful were hoping that Apple would announce updates to some of its Mac products such as the iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or Mac Mini. Given that Intel’s newest 8th-generation processors have been out for some time, now would have at least been a good for a refresh. There’s a small chance it could still happen, but at this point it’s unlikely.

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One of the most anticipated hardware updates is the MacBook Pro. Prior to the keynote, constrained inventory on Apple’s online store suggested that an update may be imminent, but that never materialized. Along with a processor update under the hood, industry observers had hoped that Apple would address some of the shortcomings with the device’s keyboard. With keys that are prone to failure, the MacBook Pro keyboard could result in a costly repair if it’s performed outside of the device’s warranty period, leading some to speculate that Apple may announce an updated model with a better keyboard.

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Last updated in 2014, the Mac Mini is one product that may be most deserving of an update. The minuscule desktop is one of the cheapest ways to experience a Mac, but sadly it’s hardware has not kept up with the times. The “latest” Mac Mini available today still uses Intel’s 4th Generation processor, codenamed Haswell, while many of the latest desktops from PC rivals running Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system now uses an 8th Generation CPU.

The MacBook Air is another device that could deserve more of Apple’s attention. Considered a lightweight computing staple in many offices, the MacBook Air is a reliable machine, but its design hasn’t changed in years and the laptop only benefited from minor under the hood tweaks. The last time the MacBook Air was updated was last year, and that brought only a slight bump in processing speed. We’ve been anticipating an overhaul to Apple’s entry-level offering, with either an updated MacBook, MacBook Air, or something else entirely.

In the all-in-one space, Apple’s recent launch of the iMac Pro has some wondering when the iMac would be updated. It’s been almost a year since Apple refreshed its regular iMac line, and an update this year could replace last year’s 7th Generation processor with Intel’s 8th Generation CPU this year.

Given all the latest enhancements around MacOS Mojave, hardware updates to its Mac platform would give Apple fresh canvases to showcase its latest operating system.

Instead, it looks like we’ll have to wait until later this year for any new Mac hardware.

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Chuong Nguyen
Chuong Nguyen
Computing Writer
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
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