Buying a Mac This Year Just Got More Complicated After Apple’s Long-Term Plans Revealed 11 New Models in the Pipeline

Apple is reportedly planning to release 11 new Mac models over the next two years, spanning every product in its lineup from the MacBook Air to the iMac.

The first machines to arrive will be a refreshed entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and updated iMacs, both expected this fall.

The iMac refresh will be the first in two years. Apple has completed development on both machines, though neither is shipping yet. The new MacBook Pro will carry the M6 chip, making it among the first Macs to run Apple’s next-generation silicon.

The Model Drawing the Most Attention

A redesigned high-end MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen is currently being tested internally alongside macOS 27.1, which Apple has scheduled for release at the end of October.

That machine will come in 14-inch and 16-inch versions with M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options. It represents the first significant MacBook Pro redesign in several years and the first time Apple has put a touchscreen on a Mac in the current product era.

A follow-up version running M7 Pro and M7 Max chips is already planned for late 2027 or early 2028. A separate entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro borrowing the same design but powered by a standard M7 chip is also on the roadmap for 2027.

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MacBook Air Gets OLED, But Not Until 2028

The MacBook Air, Apple’s most widely purchased laptop, won’t receive an OLED display until 2028 at the earliest.

A refreshed 13-inch and 15-inch Air with the same general design as the current models is coming in early 2027. An OLED iMac is also in development, though Apple has not locked in timing for that model.

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Mac Mini and Mac Studio Delays Tied to Supply Problems

New Mac mini and Mac Studio models are in testing, but their release timing remains uncertain. Both machines have seen a surge in demand from users running AI applications, and Apple cannot currently keep up with demand.

New orders for some existing models won’t ship for at least three months. Tim Cook said in April the supply situation could take several more months to stabilize, which is directly affecting when Apple can introduce successors.

When the new versions do arrive, the Mac mini will be available with M5 Pro and M6 chip options. The Mac Studio update will move to M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.

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A Budget Mac With a Smartphone Chip

Apple’s budget laptop, the MacBook Neo, is also due for a refresh at some point, though the timing is unspecified.

That machine runs an A-series chip rather than Apple’s M-series processors and will receive an A19 Pro chip along with more memory. It follows a periodic refresh cycle and will come in new colors.

Mac sales have grown for three consecutive years, with part of that momentum coming from professionals using the hardware for AI workloads.

The 11-model pipeline represents the most comprehensive Mac update cycle Apple has laid out in a single roadmap in recent memory.