Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro models in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to supply chain publication DigiTimes. The report does not mention specific models, but it very likely refers to the next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros given that the 13-inch model was already updated earlier this year.
There has been uncertainty surrounding the timing of new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models and whether they would be equipped with 5nm or 3nm chips, but it is looking increasingly likely that the notebooks will be released later this year with 5nm chips. Apple is expected to hold an October event focused on the Mac and iPad, so it would be fitting for the new MacBook Pro models to be announced then.
In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips were "well into development and testing" at Apple. The notebooks will have very few new features beyond the faster chips, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, after receiving a major redesign in October 2021.
The latest design of the high-end MacBook Pro includes a flatter-edged chassis, a notch at the top of the display, revived ports like MagSafe and HDMI, and more. MacBooks typically go multiple generations between major hardware changes.
While they might remain 5nm, the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are expected to be manufactured based on TSMC's newer 5nm process known as "N5P," so the new MacBook Pro models would still have performance and power efficiency improvements. However, a bigger bump in performance would come from the switch to 3nm chips in 2023 or later.
MacBook shipments have "remained relatively stable" compared to Intel-based Windows laptops, according to DigiTimes. The launch of the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip in July combined with the upcoming launch of new MacBook Pro models could result in Apple's notebook market share hitting a nearly five-year high in 2022, the report added.
