Apple service documents suggest new hardware release coming on Dec. 8

Posted:
in General Discussion edited December 2020
Apple may be planning to release new hardware through a press release on Tuesday, Dec. 8, an internal memo to service providers suggests.

Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple


Specifically, the memo advises service technicians to prepare for AppleCare changes at around 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Those changes could include new existing product SKUs, new or updated product descriptions, and new or updated product pricing tiers.

Obtained by MacRumors from a "reliable source," the memo is nearly identical to previous ones sent out ahead of product announcements via press release -- including the "16-inch MacBook Pro in November 2019 and second-generation "AirPods in March 2019. AppleInsider is unable to confirm the existence of the document.

Apple has had a busy fall with three separate keynote events in the span of a few months. Because of that, and the proximity to the Dec. 8 date, it's highly unlikely that there will be an actual media event. Similarly, when Apple has announced new products via its Newsroom, it's done so around the 5:30 a.m. Pacific time slot.

As far as what could be announced, Apple has several pending products rumored for 2020 that have yet to debut. They include new over-ear "AirPods Studio" headphones and a Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband "AirTags" tracking device.

Both of those devices were initially expected at one of the three keynotes in the fall, but failed to materialize. The most current information suggests that both could arrive in early 2021, so a release before the end of the year would come as a surprise.

An Apple product release in the middle of December is also highly unusual. Although the company has shipped devices during the last month of the year, like the iMac Pro and cylindrical Mac Pro, it hasn't announced new products in December.

Back in November, serial Apple leaker @L0vetodream also hinted that Apple would debut a "Christmas surprise." Although the leaker didn't specify what it could be, they did suggest that it is a "winter exclusive" and would be good for the season. That may hint at a special edition of a current device.

Also possible is the release of Apple Silicon Macs with 10-gigabit Ethernet, as previously disclosed may be in the works.
«134

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 73
    Hope it is not the new rumor over the ear headphone since I just upgraded to the Bose QuietComfort II.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 73
    Maybe it's the 10gb Ethernet SKU for the M1 Mac Minis that was recently rumored.
    williamlondonseanjwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 73
    If this is a new M1 Mac of any kind, I’m returning the Mac mini I just ordered.
    williamlondonlkruppwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 73
    cmd-zcmd-z Posts: 69member
    Perhaps AirTags?
    williamlondonmacseekerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 73
    Come on Apple TV!

    Just in time for Christmas too!  :-)
    dewmeAlex1NradarthekatfastasleepJapheywatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 73
    zimmiezimmie Posts: 651member
    sevenfeet said:
    Maybe it's the 10gb Ethernet SKU for the M1 Mac Minis that was recently rumored.
    I think this is unlikely. I'd expect 10g to be an option on a higher-end Mac mini configuration (M1 Plus, or something) with four Thunderbolt ports.
    williamlondonlkruppseanjwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 73
    Surely Apple can't be rolling out new products (or significant upgrades) at this point in the holiday shopping season without having announced it already.  As we've already seen with posts here, people will be annoyed if they bought a competing product without knowing an Apple alternative was coming soon.
    lkruppwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 73
    Apple said new intel macs later this year. So likely they will update the Macbook Pro 16 with 10th-gen intel processor like they did with iMac 27 2020.
    aderutterradarthekatkkqd1337seanjwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 73
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    I would love it to be AirTags but I would love it even more if it was a new monitor to hook up to our Minis and laptops.
    razorpitwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 73
    Come on Apple TV!

    Just in time for Christmas too!  :-)
    That’s what I am hoping for too! 
    OctoMonkeybaluwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 73
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    PowerBook G5
    right_said_fredwatto_cobraDetnator
  • Reply 12 of 73
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member
    Apple_Bar said:
    Apple said new intel macs later this year. So likely they will update the Macbook Pro 16 with 10th-gen intel processor like they did with iMac 27 2020.
    Fingers crossed...oh, wait, I'm broke.

    Never mind.
    MisterKitrazorpitwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 73
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,020member
    Apple_Bar said:
    Apple said new intel macs later this year. So likely they will update the Macbook Pro 16 with 10th-gen intel processor like they did with iMac 27 2020.
    Where did Apple specifically say they were releasing new Macs with Intel?
  • Reply 14 of 73
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member
    Surely Apple can't be rolling out new products (or significant upgrades) at this point in the holiday shopping season without having announced it already.  As we've already seen with posts here, people will be annoyed if they bought a competing product without knowing an Apple alternative was coming soon.
    Correct.  There are just new USB-C chargers.

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 73
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member

    sevenfeet said:
    Maybe it's the 10gb Ethernet SKU for the M1 Mac Minis that was recently rumored.
    Did you copy and paste that from the article?
    razorpitwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 73
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    I can’t imagine anything major with a press release. The only thing I expected in December that could have come out, but with the new silicon, it’s less likely, is an updated Mac Pro. I didn’t buy one last year, because I wanted the new PCIe 4 bus, which is now becoming common enough for Apple to move to. But it’s now doubtful.
    seanjwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 73
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    JinTech said:
    Apple_Bar said:
    Apple said new intel macs later this year. So likely they will update the Macbook Pro 16 with 10th-gen intel processor like they did with iMac 27 2020.
    Where did Apple specifically say they were releasing new Macs with Intel?
    https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/06/22/intel-says-it-support-apple-across-two-year-transition-period-to-apple-silicon <--
    "In fact, we have some new Intel based Macs in the pipeline that we're really excited about," [Tim Cook] continued.

    It's unclear whether Tim Cook was talking about multiple Mac models or a single model, but it sounds more like multiple models. My guess is that the iMac Pro and Mac Pro are the Intel models that Cook was talking about, although it's also possible that they will be offered simultaneously with M-chip alternatives. It's also possible that there could be hybrid machines, for example, an existing or future Intel Mac Pro could have an Mx-chip "Mac-on-a-PCI-card." (The Mx-chip on this might be a variation without a video core because the Mac Pro has its own video. This sounds too complicated to me, but it remains a possibility.)
    edited December 2020 OctoMonkeywilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 73
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,334member
    Come on Apple TV!

    Just in time for Christmas too!  :-)
    That’s what I am hoping for too! 
    Me too, my 3rd Gen Apple TV is really starting to feel like an over the hill product. Putting a much beefier A-series SoC in an Apple TV may be just the thing to bolster Arcade and Apple One subscriptions, not to mention provide an opportunity for deploying a more robust HomeKit hub. In fact, I'd love to see a new Apple TV serve as a unifying hub to give HomeKit build-in access to the much larger population of non-HomeKit third party smart home accessories in addition to native HomeKit support. May as well add support for UWB too, which could be leveraged by the next gen AirPods Pro, HomePod mini, and UWB equipped Apple devices to facilitate a more seamless AirPlay 2 integration and perhaps even allow you to leverage Intercom functionality using your Apple TV Remote.

    It may be a bit too late for targeting Christmas 2020 in a big way. After Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all of the discount days and weeks bracketing those big sales days, I'd imagine a lot of holiday shoppers have already emptied their wallets. But none of that shouldn't stop Apple from releasing whatever they have. 
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 73
    zimmie said:
    sevenfeet said:
    Maybe it's the 10gb Ethernet SKU for the M1 Mac Minis that was recently rumored.
    I think this is unlikely. I'd expect 10g to be an option on a higher-end Mac mini configuration (M1 Plus, or something) with four Thunderbolt ports.
    Agreed - the lack of 10g is probably the SoC or else it would have been an easy thing to offer. 

    My guess is some sort of accessoire like a headphone, not anything M1 (too soon after the initial release).
    randominternetpersonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 73
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    Maybe it is exclusive streaming on TV+ of the new 4K extended editions of Lord of The Rings and the Hobbit, until after New Years.

    it is going cheap on iTunes AU at the moment for AUD$79

    https://itunes.apple.com/au/movie-collection/middle-earth-extended-editions-6-film-collection/id1537503247

    Not sure about  the US.

    Alex1NJapheywatto_cobra
Sign In or Register to comment.