Mac Forum / General / Hardware / December 2007

Most of the time, I'd agree with that.

However, it is extremely rare for Apple to release a new model in
December - they'd rather hold it over to announce it at MacWorld Expo n
January. Anyone considering a purchase now should wait until mid January
if they don't want to be "obsoleted" quickly (except for a MacBook).

Looking at recent (Intel-era) history of each model:

iMac: Jan 2006, additional low-end model in Jul 2006, Sep 2006, Aug
2007.

Mac Mini: Feb 2006, Sep 2006, Aug 2007.

Mac Pro: Aug 2006, additional high-end option in Apr 2007.

MacBook: May 2006, Nov 2006, May 2007, Nov 2007.

MacBook Pro: Feb 2006 (15"), Apr 2006 (17"), minor 15" update in May
2006, Oct 2006, Jun 2007.

Xserve: Nov 2006.

Upcoming events:

1. Intel have already announced new processors which are suitable for
the Mac Pro and Xserve.

2. Intel are due to announce new processors which are suitable for the
other models in early January.

3. MacWorld Expo keynote is on 15th January.

Likely prognosis:

We are almost certain to see a new Mac Pro model at the MacWorld Expo.
By then it will have been 17 months since the current model was
introduced, which is an exceptionally long time between updates by
Apple's standards.

An updated Xserve should also be announced, and may be available
immediately.

A MacBook Pro update is also very likely, to take advantage of the new
processors.

A Mac Mini update is very likely. The Mac Mini is one processor
generation behind everything else, so it can catch up to the MacBook
again, and get improved integrated graphics as part of the deal.

An iMac update is quite likely. The current model will have only been
available for five months but that hasn't stopped Apple doing fast
updates before (as with the last iMac G5 being replaced by an Intel
model three months later). The main issue is the available of new
processors in quantity: limited volume might allow Apple to release a
MacBook Pro update but they need high volume for iMacs. This might delay
an iMac update until somewhere around February.

A MacBook update is very unlikely. The MacBook will get the next
processor generation some time after the MacBook Pro. I expect we will
see the next MacBook update around May (following a regular 6 month
update pattern).

There could of course be completely new models being introduced. There
have been rumours of a new ultra-compact notebook, and everyone keeps
hoping that Apple will reintroduce a mid-range desktop model without a
built-in display (about half way between the Mac Mini and Mac Pro, with
expansion options like the Mac Pro but on a smaller scale, roughly
equivalent in performance to an iMac).