Possible Upcoming Mac Pro Reference Discovered in OS X El Capitan - MacRumors
Skip to Content

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.

Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Popular Stories

Apple 2026 Back to School Graphic

Apple's 2026 Back to School Offer Just Went Live in Select Countries

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:48 am PDT by
Apple's annual Back to School promotion is now live in select countries in Asia, including China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The offer provides college students and educational staff with a free item with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad model. The exact offer varies by country, with options including a pack of four AirTags, AirPods 4,...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 12 New Features

Friday July 17, 2026 10:39 am PDT by
It is now mid-July, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now just two months away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, ...
iphone 17 cyber

Apple Closes Unlocked iPhone Loophole for T-Mobile and Verizon Financing

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:20 pm PDT by
Carrier-financed iPhones purchased from Apple will soon be locked to the carrier, ending a workaround customers used to purchase an unlocked iPhone on a payment plan. Until the rule change, buying an iPhone from Apple and opting for financing through Verizon or T-Mobile meant you would get an iPhone not locked to either carrier's network. That's no longer the case, and now iPhones financed...

Top Rated Comments

140 months ago
('http://frign.de/static/tnmp/the_new_mac_pro_1440p.png')
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
140 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)
140 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)
140 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)
140 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)
dwarg Avatar
140 months ago
the OLD mac Mini, yes.
...
Essentially, the new Mac Mini's would cost more, to get less power than what I was currently using at the time.
...
OSx isn't a concern to me because the platform that I use doesn't have OSx compatibility anyways as my overall need is linux/unix.
I envy you. I fell in love with OS X the minute I laid eyes on her. With Apple's trend of reducing performance and upgradability while increasing prices, I start to wonder if I'm suffering some kind of Stockholm Syndrome. Why am I still here? I know they've moved on to the younger, sexier, hipper consumer electronics segment. But I keep thinking maybe they'll come back to their roots. Remember the good old days. Or maybe it would occur to them they could have one machine that emphasized function over form, you know just to see how it goes. But no, I leave the light on, night after night, while Johnny Ives "Live Photos" his flaccid junk to adoring fans on another iOS bender. While I cry in my server room clutching our cheese grater Mac Pros that we used to cherish together.

:p
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)