Apple Plans Overhaul of MacBooks, iMac in Push to Meet AI Demand

An Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple Inc. is readying an overhaul of its Mac line, seeking to capitalize on demand for powerful laptops and desktops fueled by the artificial intelligence boom.

The technology giant is preparing to debut new versions of every Mac it sells, including long-awaited updates to its desktop computers, several laptops, plus a revamped MacBook Pro, across this fall and next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The wave of new computers will begin with a refreshed low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro that will be among the first Macs to use a new M6 chip and the first new iMacs in two years, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the products haven’t been announced.

The Mac has been enjoying a resurgence, with sales projected to climb for the third year in a row. The devices have recently gained a following among people who run computing-intensive AI agents. At the same time, a shortage of memory chips has put a strain on manufacturing and forced Apple to raise prices.

A representative for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment.

Development of the refreshed iMacs and new entry-level MacBook Pro, which looks like the current 14-inch version, is complete, but the machines aren’t likely to ship until the fall. The new MacBook Pro is code-named J804, while the updated iMacs are known as J833 and J834.

The most notable new model on the road map is a high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook with a fresh design and a touch screen that uses OLED display technology — both firsts for the Mac. OLED, short for organic light-emitting diode, offers more vibrant colors and is found in iPhones and iPad Pros.

That new MacBook line — dubbed K114 and K116 within Apple — remains on track for release between the end of this year and early next year. Internally, Apple is currently testing the laptops with macOS 27.1, which is scheduled for release to consumers at the end of October.

Read More: Apple to Skip High-End M6 Mac Chips in Favor of AI-Focused M7 Line

Those laptops will include M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options found in the MacBook Pros introduced this past March, Bloomberg News has reported. The company is already planning follow-up models that are slated to roll out sometime between end of 2027 and early 2028. Those will have M7 Pro and M7 Max chips.

Apple is also planning a refreshed MacBook Air line for release by early next year. Those 13-inch and 15-inch machines are dubbed J913 and J915. The MacBook Air will closely resemble the current version, though the company is working on an OLED model for as early as 2028. The Air was last redesigned in 2022.

Apple is planning yet another MacBook Pro — a base version with a new design — for next year. That 14-inch machine is code-named K104 and will look similar to the next high-end 14-inch and 16-inch models. The big difference is that it will have a standard M7 chip.

A refreshed version of the MacBook Neo, Apple’s budget laptop, also is in development. The company has been testing a model internally that uses an updated A19 Pro chip and more memory. Apple debuted the Neo in March and plans to refresh the machine periodically with new colors to capitalize on its broad appeal.

Read More: Apple Readies New iPad Pro, Redesigned Entry MacBook Pro for 2027

For further in the future, Apple is working on a new iMac with an OLED screen, matching the technology coming to the high-end MacBook and, later, MacBook Air models. Such a display is already coming to the iPad mini this year, Bloomberg reported earlier this month.

Apple also has plans for new Mac mini and Mac Studio models with upgraded chips. The Mac mini in testing uses M5 Pro and M6 processors, while the Mac Studio has the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. But the timing of those machines — and the planned chip and memory configurations — hinge on the state of memory-chip supplies.

The Mac mini and Mac Studio have become popular computers for running artificial intelligence applications — thanks to their processing power and ability to connect to external monitors and different types of computing environments.

That has led to demand outstripping supply to such a degree that new orders of some current Mac mini and Mac Studio models won’t ship for at least three months. Those supply chain challenges are making it difficult for Apple to release new models with its usual level of inventory.

In April, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said he thinks it could take “several months” for those machines to reach supply demand balance. In February, the company said, in a first, that it would begin producing the Mac mini in Houston, expanding beyond Asia.

In June, Apple raised prices of all of its Macs. That included increasing the MacBook Neo to $699 from $599 and bumping up the 13-inch MacBook Air to $1,299 from $1,099. A fully loaded 16-inch MacBook Pro with the highest levels of memory and storage now costs $9,999.

Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that Apple is preparing to launch a device leasing program that includes the Mac on July 28.