Here are the Macs we didn’t get at Apple’s spring event, but still might

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Here are the Macs we didn’t get at Apple’s spring event
The MacBooks, iMacs and Mac mini that were rumored for the “Peek Performance” event didn’t appear.
Photo: Apple

When CEO Tim Cook left the stage at the end of Apple’s “Peek Performance” event, he took the hopes of many MacBook and iMac users with him. Because there was just one Mac introduced Tuesday, the Mac Studio.

But some of the computers not announced are still expected to launch. Just not now.  Here are the Macs we didn’t get, and which ones to look for from Apple in the coming months.

No Apple M2 processor at Apple’s spring event

In the weeks before the “Peek Performance” event, rumors of which Macs would be unveiled were all over the map.

Several of them talked about new models running the Apple M2 processor, the beginning of the second generation of Apple’s top-tier chip. For example, there was talk of a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro with the brand-new processor.

It didn’t happen. Other sources indicate that the M2 won‘t be ready until late in 2022.

What we got instead is the M1 Ultra, the fastest version of the M1. And the last new iteration before the M2.

No refreshed Mac mini

In the lead up to the March product event, a tipster pointed to a Mac mini with Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max processors.

Nope. Apple clearly intends to keep the mini as its low-end desktop. Those who need more power can choose the just-announced Mac Studio.

Still waiting for the 27-inch iMac

A hotly anticipated computer for the “Peek Performance” event was a second redesigned iMac. This will supposedly be a 27-inch all-in-one desktop‌ featuring a mini-LED screen. It will join the 24-inch version from 2021.

But there was no sign of it Tuesday. Even before Apple’s product event came word that the launch of this model might have slipped to summer.

But we might not be waiting too long. Apple ditched the current 27-inch iMac after the event. There’s a new 27-inch Studio Display in its place, but an iMac in that size is still expected.

Hope for the future

Just because only one Mac was unveiled at Apple’s “Peek Performance” event doesn’t mean more aren‘t on the way. As noted, the lack of a larger iMac leaves a noticeable hole in Apple’s lineup.

And that’s not all. After unveiling the Mac Studio, John Ternus, the SVP for Hardware Engineering talked about how it “joined the rest of our incredible Mac lineup with Apple silicon, making our transition nearly complete with just one more product to go: Mac Pro. But that is for another day.”

That’s definitely a promise of a Mac Pro with an Apple M-series processor. But when it’ll come to light is unknown. The wait might be longer than many hope — it might be all the way to 2023. Or it could be out in autumn. In the mean time, there’s the top-tier version of the Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra processor.

And the M2 is on the way. It’s widely expected to be out before the end of 2022, bringing a rush of new computers. That includes a redesigned MacBook Air.

So don’t be concerned if the Mac you were hoping for didn’t launch at Apple’s spring event. It may still be on the way.

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