M4 iMac, Revamped Mac Mini And iPad Mini Are Among Apple's Upcoming Hardware Onslaught

Apple is fresh off the heels of its iPhone 16 launch last month, which has been received well overall, though still short of blockbuster expectations. Due to the delay in Apple Intelligence, the full scope of the hardware remains unrealized. Apple plans to announce more hardware towards the end of October, rounding out its new releases for the year. Second to only iPhone, the MacBook Pro lineup of laptops remains Apple's bread and butter for its Mac family. The expected release date is soon after the announcement, as early as November 1st. 

Coming with the new M4 Apple silicon, expectations are high for the performance capabilities of these new machines. The M4 iPad Pro already wowed us with class-leading performance, which will likely reach an even higher pedigree with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, we can expect a spread of new M4 MacBook Pro models ranging from the 14-inch code-named J604 M4 chips to the high-end J614 M4 Max variants. The 14-inch and 16-inch sizes should make a return, to differentiate it from the MacBook Air's 13 and 15-inch sizes. 

We should also see a refreshed iMac, together with a new iPad mini. The biggest design change will likely come in the form of the Mac mini, which has supposedly gotten even smaller for the revamp.

With Apple Intelligence, the new M4 chips may play a pivotal role in the success of the AI push from the Apple camp. The M4 chip will slot into the refreshed iMac, with the code name J623 as the supposed candidate. It does not appear that the iMac will receive any design changes, however. The new Mac Mini is likely a complete redesign, along with Apple's new M4 chip in tow. 

The efficiency and power of the Apple silicon offerings mean that the Mac mini can reduce its footprint even further from the already modestly small design. It will likely see chips up to the M4 Pro variant, leaving the M4 Max higher-tier chips to the duty of the MacBook Pro models. 

Interestingly, it is rumored that minimum base RAM amounts may be bumped up this year with the MacBook Pro. The M3 variants saw 8GB as the base, and that may ultimately come with 16GB for the M4 generation. This would make sense in the scope of Apple Intelligence, and potentially other future AI use cases that can benefit from having more RAM. Other Apple devices are expected to be refreshed with M4 chips only in 2025, such as the MacBook Air models and eventual Mac Pro. 

According to Gurman's latest PowerOn newsletter, the official release of Apple Intelligence may come around October 28th as part of iOS 18.1 for iPhone. It is unclear if macOS will also be available at the same time, but it should follow in quick fashion to keep the ecosystem consistent.