The MacRumors Show: Apple's Shocking M4 MacBook Pro Leak

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the unprecedented leak of Apple's M4 MacBook Pro models and the company's rumored move to more staggered hardware and software releases.


Multiple leaks surrounding Apple's unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip recently surfaced online. The leaks began with unboxing videos shared by several Russian YouTube channels, showcasing the new entry-level ‌MacBook Pro‌ ahead of its official announcement. These leaks were followed by a listing on a Russian classifieds site, where multiple units were allegedly being sold after what appears to be theft from a warehouse. This marks one of Apple's most significant leaks in recent memory, drawing comparisons to the 2010 iPhone 4 prototype incident.

The leaked ‌MacBook Pro‌ reveals several notable upgrades. The M4 chip with a 10-core CPU is 25% faster than the M3's 8-core CPU. As rumored, it also comes with 16GB of RAM as the new base configuration, doubling the previous standard of 8GB, and support for up to two external displays with the lid open. Another key improvement is the addition of a third Thunderbolt port, bringing the entry-level model up to parity with the higher-end configurations. It also looks like the entry-level ‌MacBook Pro‌ will be available in the Space Black color option for the first time. Despite these upgrades, the display, general design, and other features remain unchanged from the current ‌MacBook Pro‌. These revelations come just weeks before Apple is expected to officially unveil its first M4-powered Macs, with a rumored release date of November 1.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple appears to be slowly moving away from its traditional annual release schedule for hardware and software, favoring a more staggered approach. This shift is evident with the introduction of iOS 18, where key features like Apple Intelligence are delayed and due to be rolled out in subsequent updates throughout 2025. As Apple's product lineup grows more complex, this strategy would allow for better quality control and innovation by releasing products and features when they are fully developed, rather than adhering to fixed timelines.

While iPhones are expected to maintain their yearly updates, other products like the Apple Watch and Mac lineup may follow a multi-year or staggered release schedule to make the company's launches less predictable and more flexible. We discuss whether this is a good move for Apple and take stock of its product strategy as a whole in light of recent releases.

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about the latest rumors surrounding Apple's "Home Accessory" product, which could launch as soon as next year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

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Top Rated Comments

eRondeau Avatar
4 weeks ago
Let's be clear. It wasn't a leak. It was a theft.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matt2053 Avatar
4 weeks ago

Not sure I’d call it “shocking.” Seems like a minor blip on the radar for most people.
It's preposterous to compare this with the iPhone 4 prototype leak.

The iPhone 4 was a dramatic, thoroughly redesigned product that changed smartphones forever.

This is a spec-bumped MacBook that looks identical to the two previous generations.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anonymous123 Avatar
4 weeks ago
Not sure I’d call it “shocking.” Seems like a minor blip on the radar for most people.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krakman Avatar
4 weeks ago
It's a macbook pro with an extra thunderbolt port and the M4 CPU which we all knew as going to be used in the next laptop since it was released in an iPad several months ago.

Shocking!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Minato1990 Avatar
4 weeks ago
How did the Russians get their hands on this?
Is someone at apple working for the Putin dictatorship??!!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BobWitte Avatar
4 weeks ago

Real world usage, the user won't ever notice the difference. What we need is a MPB with USER upgradable ram and hard drive... THAT IS WHAT WE NEED! How about Touchscreen, Steve was wrong on it's usage, as my wife has a convertible laptop to tablet and IT IS HANDY! Just because Steve made the mistake of publically saying, he didn't see it useful, Tim is holding that to his heart and screwing Apple innovation! They will eventually be force to merge iPad with Macbook because both are required in todays world.
OK, I guess working with large Logic Pro projects is Real World for me but you might better mean "Average User" might be more appropriate. Upgradeable is also not want the average user wants. Average user wants to buy and just use. Techies may want the RAM/Drive upgrades, but that is a small part of Apples Market
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)