Although the current full-size HomePod, 12-inch MacBook, and iMac Pro have been discontinued, the latest news says that Apple is expected to re-launch the successor model in the future. Tech media MacRumors shared expectations for the three successor models based on the information they currently have.
HomePod
In March 2021, Apple announced that the full-size HomePod was officially discontinued, and the focus will be on the HomePod Mini in the future.
The original HomePod, released in February 2018, received a lot of praise for its sound quality, but the hefty $349 price tag is much more expensive than smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home. Even if Apple later lowered the price to $299, according to the estimated data, the sales of this speaker are still not optimistic.
After the discontinuation of the full-size HomePod, the speaker received a higher price on the eBay platform and became a collector’s item.
Citing Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman report, Apple is developing a new HomePod with the same S8 chip as the Apple Watch Series 8. Gurman says the new HomePod is closer to the original HomePod in terms of size and sound quality, with a screen upgrade at the top.
Gurman previously revealed that Apple is considering releasing the new HomePod with Apple TV and FaceTime cameras, but the details are not clear at present.
A 12-inch MacBook
Apple discontinued its ultra-thin 12-inch MacBook in July 2019.
Released in March 2015, the 12-inch MacBook is an ultra-thin and light design that weighs just 2 pounds. At its core, the 12-inch MacBook is a fanless design with only 1 USB-C port (for data transfer and charging), a Force Touch trackpad, and an innovative battery design to accommodate larger batteries.
A big reason for the discontinuation of the 12-inch MacBook was that many consumers found it lacking performance. The original 12-inch MacBook was equipped with a 1.1GHz dual-core Core M processor, and although subsequent models were able to reach the Core i7 processor, Intel’s performance could not control the thin and light design of the notebook.
With Apple’s shift to Apple Silicon’s self-developed chips, the 12-inch MacBook is expected to return. Last month, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple was considering launching a new 12-inch notebook in 2024. But it’s unclear whether the notebook is owned by a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro.
iMac Pro
Apple announced the discontinuation of the iMac Pro in March 2021.
At the time, Apple said the 27-inch iMac was the first choice for most veteran iMac users, and that Mac Pro was recommended for those who needed more performance and scalability. After the 27-inch iMac was also discontinued, the 24-inch iMac equipped with the M1 chip became the only all-in-one machine in the Mac product line.
The iMac Pro was released in December 2017 and did not receive hardware upgrades during its lifetime. Compared to the standard iMac Pro configuration, the 27-inch iMac is faster and cheaper.
However, there is news that Apple is expected to launch an iMac Pro equipped with Apple Silicon chips. In a memo last month, Mark Gurman said he remains convinced that Apple is working on a larger iMac or iMac Pro, which is expected to go on sale as early as next year. Based on the release date, it is expected to be equipped with M2 Pro or M2 Max chips.
