3 New Macs Are on the Way

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Apple has registered three new Macs in the Eurasian regulatory database.

As rumours go, this is relatively useless. Apple is duty-bound to register any device that features encryption technology with the Eurasian Economic Commission (which does indeed sound like an Erasure fan club for economists).

All this leaves us with is a collection of letters and numbers that are assigned to products that are as-yet unavailable to the public. There is absolutely nothing else on offer to provide even a sniff of what they could be.

Known affectionately as A2615, A2686, and A2681, speculation is rife that these new Macs will be among the first products of 2022 to make an appearance on the virtual stage in March.

This is what I think they could be.

The entry-level MacBook Pro

Apple is expected to release a new entry-level version of the MacBook Pro this year.

One assumes this will replace the 13-inch M1-powered version. That would mean a final “see ya later” for the Touch Bar, and presumably a full-on ascent into the world of that lovely new design we were treated to with the 14- and 16-inch versions.

We’re firmly in rumour territory when it comes to the exact spec and feature-set of this new entry-level MacBook Pro, but I maintain that it could be Apple’s best product of 2022.

Having used the 16-inch behemoth for the last few months, the thought of a realistically-powered and priced MacBook Pro with that fantastic new design and the next generation M-series chip is rather exciting.

It’s the MacBook Pro I would have jumped on when I started my business six years ago, and one from which a great many people will draw acres of value. If the rumours are true, the entry-level MacBook Pro will sell by the bucketload and offer more bang-for-buck than virtually any other Apple device.

The new MacBook Air

I’m writing this blog post on my M1 MacBook Air. 

And I’m going to let you into a little secret.

This is the first MacBook Pro I’ve ever applied stickers to. Weirdly (don’t judge, please), they’re stickers that feature the Mark Ellis Reviews branding, but they’ve made this little laptop even cuter than it was before.

The case features a couple of dents, the keyboard desperately needs a clean, and it regularly gets chucked into all manner of bags during its travels without a case.

It is such a loveable laptop.

The portability of that timeless wedge design, the epic battery life, and the totally unjustified power beneath the hood makes the M1 MacBook Air the best laptop Apple has ever made.

Alas, it will soon hit legacy status. And while that doesn’t make it a bad buy even today, it does mean that we’ve got the next generation of the MacBook Air to look forward to.

I’m pretty confident that one of those meaningless database numbers is the new MacBook Air.

An M2-based 24” iMac

I know, I know, I know.

I get it.

You want the big one.

But I don’t think we’re going to see the next big iMac during the rumoured March event. That’ll come later this year during a bumper Mac shindig for the Pro line-up.

In the meantime, that 24” iMac probably needs a bit of a fettle, and my guess is that it’ll be the first to receive an upgrade in the form of the M2 chip (the one we’re likely to see in the new MacBook Air).

This isn’t the most exciting of releases, granted, but I’m a big fan of the new iMac and still believe it’s the best option for most people. Trust me – that 24” screen is bigger and more capable than you might think.

There’s a chance that if Apple does update the iMac in this way, the Mac mini might also receive similar treatment, and consequently miss out on any form of M1 Pro or M1 Max action. That’ll be an unpalatable thought for some, but worth preparing yourself for.

A massive caveat

I haven’t got a clue what Apple is up to. And, unless you’re Tim (which you’re probably not), or someone else who works somewhere within that cylindrical spaceship campus, you haven’t either.

I think it’s harder than ever to second-guess Apple these days. As I’ve noted before, the only product which sticks to a consistent release schedule is the iPhone.

But it’s fun to take a guess at what might arrive next, isn’t it?

So, over to you – which three Macs do you think Apple has registered on the Eurasian database? Let me know below!