While some devices such as the Pro Display XDR and HomePod mini are arguably also in need of an update, there are at least five major Apple devices that appear to be in need of a refresh - where a new model could deliver significant improvements. As time passes, it is also becoming increasingly difficult for Apple to leave these devices in its product line without a hardware update.
iMac
While there is some disagreement over whether Apple will reintroduce a larger iMac model, the current model with a 24-inch screen features the M1 chip - meaning it is obsolete compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the updated MacBook Air and the iPad Pro. Apple announced the M2 chip at WWDC in early June this year, and with three different devices now containing the chip, the iMac is ripe for a chip upgrade. Yet reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggest that an iMac with the M2 chip is not on the horizon. After the M2 series of Macs, a new iMac will be part of the first M3 series of Macs, according to Gurman, including an updated 13-inch MacBook Air, an all-new 15-inch MacBook Air and possibly a new 12-inch notebook that is "still in the early stages of development".
The M3 chip is expected to be built on TSMC's 3nm technology, unlike the M1 and M2, which are built based on a 5nm process. The more advanced manufacturing process is expected to deliver significant performance and efficiency improvements. The device is expected to be the successor to the current M1 iMac and will not come to market until late 2023 at the earliest, Gurman said, meaning it could be some time before a new iMac appears. It is not clear why Apple would exclude the iMac from the M2 chip and wait until the M3 chip is available, especially since it means the current M1 model will last for quite some time.
AirPods Max
The AirPods Max, launched almost two years ago, are the oldest AirPods still in Apple's line-up. Despite being the most expensive at $549, the AirPods Max lack many of the features that came to the second-generation AirPods Pro earlier this year. With the H2 chips, significantly improved Active Noise Cancellation, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, Adaptive Transparency, skin detection sensors, the U1 chip and Precision Finding, there are a plethora of notable features yet to come to the AirPods Max. The headphones could also benefit from a refreshed selection of colour options, MagSafe or USB-C charging, Conversation Boost, and sweat and water resistance.
Mac Mini
While the M1 Mac mini offers an entry-level model in the line-up, the high-end Mac mini still features an Intel processor. The high-end Mac mini was theoretically refreshed in 2020 when Apple doubled the storage on the device, but is otherwise identical to the 2018 Space Gray unibody model. Apple has reportedly been working on a new Mac mini for some time. The potential to replace the older high-end model with an Apple silicon machine was previously at the center of rumours regarding new Mac minis, but now it seems that both the entry-level and high-end models may be refreshed at the same time. Apple is reportedly working on two versions of the next-generation Mac mini, one with the standard "M2" chip and a second high-end model with the "M2 Pro" chip.
A new high-end Mac mini with Apple silicon could offer huge performance and efficiency advantages over the current model, and have more Thunderbolt ports than the entry-level model. There is also the possibility of a redesign. As a machine from more than two years before Apple began the transition to its own silicon chips in the Mac, and two years after the entry-level Mac mini was refreshed, the high-end Mac mini seems to be the Apple device most in need of a hardware update.
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