Possible Upcoming Mac Pro Reference Discovered in OS X El Capitan

It's been two years since Apple launched its radically redesigned Mac Pro, but the professional-level workstation has not seen any updates since that time despite the availability of upgraded versions of many of the components used in the machine. We may be getting closer to an update, however, as Pike's Universum has discovered a reference to a new Mac code name of "AAPLJ951" within OS X El Capitan.

The identity of the Mac corresponding to that code name is not explicitly revealed in OS X, but Pike points to the similar AAPLJ90 code name for the current Mac Pro as a reason to believe this new machine is a Mac Pro.

aaplj951

The data is identical to that of the late 2015 (iMac17,1 in the same file) so it may as well be a remnant of the new iMac, but the strange thing is that the XHCI data for the late 2015 iMac is also there, which is why I believe that this is not/was not added for the/a new iMac but another Mac.

And like I said earlier in the comments, there are too many USB 3 ports defined to fit on a MacBook (Pro) and Mac Mini. This and the fact that there is already support for newer graphics chips [baked] into El Capitan… is why I think that it was added for a new Mac Pro. I personally sure hope so.

Looking toward possible specs for the next Mac Pro, it seems likely it will run on Xeon-branded Broadwell EP chips and include significantly faster graphics based on AMD's Fury platform, along with faster memory and storage and perhaps Thunderbolt 3 connectivity involving a partial shift to USB-C connectivity.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Top Rated Comments

Frign Avatar
106 months ago
('http://frign.de/static/tnmp/the_new_mac_pro_1440p.png')
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upthetoffees Avatar
106 months ago
i am more than 100% sure in next few month we will see a revolution in macs, they have been so similar far last few years now its 10th anniversary of mbp and probably we will see amazing new mac pro with reasonable price too
I don't understand why they don't do it. Where is the non mini non pro and non imac option? Where is the pc equivalent that would go into offices and homes? I am not going to buy another imac, not going to buy the mac pro, hell no and the mini is underpowered. The whole mac strategy in 2015 is complete BS. So much so that I started making a pc for my audio stuff and it's just so frustrating. Apple gimps everything by controlling the levels of what is offered for a price, then the upgrade costs x + apple tax. I really hope there is more of a backlash soon, I'm getting sick of this. Can't be the only one.

Lots of people have money for you apple, they love the OS, don't strangle the **** out of your customers.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
funtimeben Avatar
106 months ago
I just really hope they drop the trashcan design for something with a little more expandability. Would love a new Mac, but refuse to buy something I need to plug external hard drives all over to expand.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bkkcanuck8 Avatar
106 months ago
I just really hope they drop the trashcan design for something with a little more expandability. Would love a new Mac, but refuse to buy something I need to plug external hard drives all over to expand.
The Mac Pro that you keep on pining over is NOT that expandable -- in fact the Mac Pro 2013 is much more expandable. I have a Mac Pro 2008, two graphics cards (5770).... which take up all but the lowest speed PCIe slot (a SATA card in there). All 4 hard drive bays full..... no more expansion possible. With the Mac Pro 2013 it has the two graphics cards in there and up to 36 Thunderbolt devices.... so add a Thunderbolt 4 drive bay (and I have 35 left). Or add a 24 bay one and still have 35 left.....
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bax2003 Avatar
106 months ago
The Mac Pro that you keep on pining over is NOT that expandable -- in fact the Mac Pro 2013 is much more expandable. I have a Mac Pro 2008, two graphics cards (5770).... which take up all but the lowest speed PCIe slot (a SATA card in there). All 4 hard drive bays full..... no more expansion possible. With the Mac Pro 2013 it has the two graphics cards in there and up to 36 Thunderbolt devices.... so add a Thunderbolt 4 drive bay (and I have 35 left). Or add a 24 bay one and still have 35 left.....
Or, instead of all that upgrades for MP 2013, for the same money, you buy a house.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ActionableMango Avatar
106 months ago
The Mac Pro that you keep on pining over is NOT that expandable -- in fact the Mac Pro 2013 is much more expandable.
That's an awfully misleading statement. The new MP is "more expandable" in your very cherry-picked scenario of Thunderbolt-attached devices. In almost every other way it is less expandable. Fewer CPU sockets, fewer memory sockets, no optical bays, no HDD bays, no PCIe slots, and extremely restrictive GPU choices. And if the new MP had simply kept the same physical design as the classic MP, it would have had all of those advantages plus Thunderbolt attached devices.

There are several advantages to the new MP design. It is smaller in size, uses less power, makes less noise, and has fewer fans that can fail.

But "much more expandable"? No, not without some narrowly defined view of expansion, and even that falls apart compared to what a 2013 MP could have been if they hadn't changed the basic physical design.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Firmware

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware update for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2. The new firmware is version 6B34, up from the 6B32 firmware introduced in November. Apple does not provide details on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware beyond "bug fixes and other improvements," so it is unclear what's new in the update, but prior software releases ...
magsafe blue 2

iOS 17.2 Brings Qi2 Support to iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 Models

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:04 am PST by
The iOS 17.2 update that Apple is set to release to the public in the near future will bring support for the next-generation Qi2 wireless charging standard to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models. Qi2 was mentioned in the release notes for the RC version of the update that came out today. With the addition of support for the new standard, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models will work with Qi2...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

Wednesday December 6, 2023 2:03 am PST by
Apple's Korean suppliers have begun developing smartphone under-display cameras (UDC), paving the way for the first iPhone with a true "all-screen" appearance. According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use. A UPC differs from a typical front ...
instagram messenger

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Chats to Disconnect This Month

Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:57 am PST by
Meta has revealed plans to end Instagram users' ability to chat with Facebook accounts later this month, rolling back a feature that it introduced over three years ago. In September 2020, Meta (then Facebook) announced it was merging its Facebook Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, allowing Instagram users to chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform....
airpods pro bulbs

Black Friday Prices Return for AirPods Pro 2 With USB-C, iPad, and More

Tuesday December 5, 2023 7:30 am PST by
Today we're tracking a collection of deals that are matching - or nearly matching - the same all-time low discounts we saw during Black Friday. This includes the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, 9th generation iPad, and M1 MacBook Air. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the ...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Event Still

Apple Pushes Back Against iPhone USB-C Regulations in India

Tuesday December 5, 2023 4:18 am PST by
Apple has asked the Indian government to exempt existing iPhones from new rules that require smartphones sold in the country to have a USB-C charging port, reports Reuters. India wants to replicate an upcoming European Union rule that requires all smartphones to implement the USB-C charging standard. However, according to a new report, Apple has told India its local production targets will...