MacBook Pro with Apple M3 Max supposedly in short supply at launch, Apple reportedly planning a cheap MacBook for 2024

On Tuesday, Apple released an invitation for the upcoming launch event on October 31. Under the title "Scary fast," the event is expected to primarily feature the first Macs based on the Apple M3, including the successors to the 24-inch iMac as well as the 13-inch, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously stated that the high-end MacBooks based on the Apple M3 Pro and M3 Max would not be launched until next year.

Now the analyst reports that Apple may have changed its plans in 2023 due to extremely weak Mac sales, and may announce the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro as early as October, less than ten months after the launch of the previous models. However, production capacity is said to be severely constrained at the moment, meaning that availability of the top models will remain scarce until the beginning of next year. The analyst specifically writes that only between 400,000 and 500,000 units could be produced by the end of the year.

If Mac sales remain weak despite the faster Apple M3-based models, Apple is planning two adjustments to its product strategy, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. On the one hand, the company is purportedly considering bringing a cheaper MacBook onto the market next year, of which 8 to 10 million units could be produced per year. In addition, the next-generation MacBook Pro with a brand new design and OLED display may be launched as early as 2025 instead of 2026 as suggested by some earlier rumors.