New Apple leak is bad news for MacBook fans – but there’s still hope for a new iMac

We might not see M3 MacBooks this year – but could we still see an upgraded iMac?

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While iPhone fans are likely to be well served by tomorrow’s (September 12)Apple September event, with the expected launch of theiPhone 15range, it seems that those hoping to see newMacBooksthis year will be disappointed.

AsMacRumors reports, well-knownAppleanalyst Ming-Chi Kuo has revealed on X (formerly Twitter), that Apple “will not launch new MacBook models (equipped with M3 series processors) before the end of this year”.

看起來到今年年底前，Apple應該都不會發售新款的MacBook (配備M3系列處理器) 機型了==It seems that Apple will not launch new MacBook models (equipped with M3 series processors) before the end of this year.September 8, 2023

This contradicts earlier leaks that suggestedApple could hold an event in October to show off new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, alongside a new iMac – all powered by therumored M3 chip, its follow-up to theM2, which launched last year.

All is not lost

While this latest leak is certainly a blow to anyone looking forward to seeing new MacBooks, there is still a glimmer of Mac-related hope, as people have latched on to the fact that Kuo specifically says there’ll be no new MacBooks, possibly suggesting that other Mac devices could still arrive in 2023.

This might be reading a littletoomuch between the lines, but if that is the case, anew 24-inch iMacseems like an obvious candidate. Apple’s iconic all-in-one hasn’t had an update since theM1 24-inch iMacmodel, launched in 2021, so a new model would certainly make sense.

As for a larger iMac, there hasn’t been a new model with Apple’s own chips – the last one still ran onIntelhardware – so that would be another candidate.

However, in the grand scheme of all things Apple, iMacs are a relatively niche product (despite being some of thebest all-in-one PCsyou can buy), and the company might simply think it’s not worth updating them. And if it does, I can’t imagine that Apple would choose iMacs as the devices to debut the M3 chip in; if new iMacs are indeed coming, it would make more sense that they’re powered by the M2 chip.

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The fact that we might not see the M3 chip – or any devices powered by it – until 2024 actually makes sense, even if, on the face of it, it’s disappointing. Apple is still releasing new M2-powered devices, with the15-inch MacBook Airlaunching just a few months ago, and theMacBook Pro 14-inch (2023)andMacBook Pro 16-inch (2023)launched earlier this year powered by the high-end M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. So Apple launchinh an M3 chip that makes those new products already seem dated wouldn’t go down too well with customers who’ve splashed out for them.

Holding off until next year will give those M2 MacBooks more time to shine, and will hopefully allow Apple’s engineers to produce something truly special with the M3 to make it worth the wait.

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Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he’s reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.

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