Three new Mac SKUs have been registered in the Eurasian Economic Database ahead of a rumored 'Spring' event, adding additional weight to existing rumors that the next generation of Apple silicon will be launched in the coming weeks – potentially at an event on or around March 8.
The filing was spotted by Consomac, which notes that the registration doesn't give us much information about the products, though a few speculations can be made. The numbers being registered are A2615, A2686 and A2681 respectively, with the latter being described as a laptop.
We don't have any official confirmation that these new devices will be powered by the anticipated M2 chipset, but all of the M1-powered devices have been registered with numbers starting with A24. As these new Macs break the trend, it's likely we will at least see some new variation of the existing M1 even if the M2 silicon isn't introduced.
Consomac also suggests that the other two models could be desktop computers, though we have no way of knowing if these will be a Mac Pro, Mac Mini or iMac. This does back up previous rumors that Apple was gearing up to launch some new Mac products in a March event, as well as claims that a larger 27-inch iMac was planned for release to replace the discontinued iMac Pro.
As with all rumors, don't take any of this as gospel until an official statement is made or we actually see the products paraded around at launch. Apple does occasionally register its product many months ahead of their planned release, so while this is promising news that new Macs are in development, we might not see them launch in the coming weeks. Currently, no Apple Spring event has been officially announced, so it's best to stay cautious to avoid disappointment.
Analysis: lets lay the Touch Bar down to rest
The laptop registered is anticipated to be an entry-level MacBook Pro that will replace the current M1-powered 13-inch model, which remains the only MacBook Pro to still feature the controversial Touch Bar, as well as lacking any of the ports that were reintroduced with the release of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman anticipates that this will new MacBook Pro will be similarly stripped down, and likely won't have the same Mini LED ProMotion display. Additional speculation from DigiTimes claims that "except for the processor, most other components used in the new MacBook Pro reportedly will feature almost the same specs as those for the existing model featuring M1 chips", though Gurman believes that the Touch Bar will be removed at the very least.
It was always a controversial feature, but if this is the model that finally does away with it, then your only chance to buy a MacBook that still uses one will be the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020), provided that it isn't discontinued when this new model appears on the scene. Like it or not, that spells the end of an era for Apple, though admittedly one that many of us will be happy to see the back of.
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Via MacRumors
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