Three new Macs revealed in EEC regulatory filings

AppleInsider · February 14, 2022 10:27AM

Ahead of the expected March launch event, Apple has registered three Macs, including at least one MacBook, in the Eurasian Economic Commission's regulatory database.

The current entry-level MacBook Pro

Devices have to be registered in the database before they can go on sale in that territory, but an entry only makes it highly probable that the Macs will be launched soon. Nonetheless, it is typical for entries to appear a few weeks ahead of launch, so this filing appears to back up expectations of a March event.

The EEC database has two separate entries, totalling three Apple devices:

Personal Apple computers of A2615, A2686 (macOS 12 software version) and their spare parts

Apple portable A2681 (macOS 12 software version) and its parts

As is usual with the EEC database, there is no further detail beyond specifying that the entries come from Apple.

Initially, rumors of a March 8, 2022 Apple event centered on the release of an updated iPhone SE, and an updated iPad Air.

More recently, it has been speculated that a new MacBook Pro could come in the same event. Separately, Apple has been rumored to be preparing to launch a replacement for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, with reports saying suppliers in China worked through the traditional Lunar New Year to meet deadlines.

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22july2013 · February 14, 2022 1:05PM

If Apple came out with new model numbers for new colours of existing computers, would that help Apple to obfuscate these filings?

wood1208 · February 14, 2022 4:15PM

Chaper Macbook Pro is good for many non-professional. Apple needs Mackbook Air with larger 14" screen (older retina tech for cost) with new M1 processor. Keep weight around same 2lb.

stuartf · February 14, 2022 4:16PM

22july2013 said:

If Apple came out with new model numbers for new colours of existing computers, would that help Apple to obfuscate these filings?

I don't think so. Apple as far as I know does not use different model numbers for colour variants and would not need a new entry on the database

mknelson · February 14, 2022 6:26PM

stuartf said:

22july2013 said:

If Apple came out with new model numbers for new colours of existing computers, would that help Apple to obfuscate these filings?

I don't think so. Apple as far as I know does not use different model numbers for colour variants and would not need a new entry on the database

Indeed. The A#### part numbers are a family part number.

A2439 is the 2 port 24" iMac, A2438 is the 4 port 24" iMac
A1278 is the classic 13" MBP from 2009 - 2012 (discontinued in 2016)

It's the M####/# or Z####/X SKUs that distinguish individual configurations and model years.

xed · February 14, 2022 7:11PM

I first read that title as ECC in a reference to memory.

tenthousandthings · February 14, 2022 7:28PM

Makes sense for the much-rumored Mini Pro and iMac Pro.

As for an M1 portable next month, not much makes sense with the M2 on the horizon. I'll go out on a limb and guess it has to be a MacBook, with colors. A lower-end option that wouldn't get the M2 right away. The M2 launch will be reserved for the new Air, an entry-level Mini, and maybe an entry-level 14-inch MBP. So it would still be a year before this MacBook and the current iMac get the M2. I think that probably works from a marketing perspective.

I'm sure this is wrong, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me...

edited February 2022

drboar2 · February 14, 2022 9:10PM

An M2 macmini as a low end and no new high end mini? That would look strange with a Intel CPU still being the top end model!

A new or two new minis with M1pro and M1Max would make more sense (or M2pro/max). Anyhow a lineup that topple the Intel one.

I remember the 68k to PPC transition and the first generation was just Quadras with a new CPU. The second generation added PCI slots USB and all that new stuff in a new box design.

The PPC to Intel had the same two step pattern with CPU first and box and features at the second step.

Now we have the third CPU transition from Intel to AS/Mx. First the CPU transfers to current boxes and features last year. Now it is time to take step number two with what ever they are upgrading next month.

tenthousandthings · February 14, 2022 9:30PM

DrBoar2 said:

[...] I remember the 68k to PPC transition and the first generation was just Quadras with a new CPU. The second generation added PCI slots USB and all that new stuff in a new box design.

The PPC to Intel had the same two step pattern with CPU first and box and features at the second step.

Now we have the third CPU transition from Intel to AS/Mx. First the CPU transfers to current boxes and features last year. Now it is time to take step number two with what ever they are upgrading next month.

That's about right. Step one took place in 2020 (M1 put into existing Air, Mini, and 13-inch MBP), and you're missing the fact that step two began in 2021 with the 24-inch iMac and the new MacBook Pro designs. So whatever comes this Spring, it will be more of step two, not the start of step two...

edited February 2022

drboar2 · February 15, 2022 6:38AM

I am aware of the step 1&2 with the iMac and Probooks and I assume that the mac Pro tower will go 1&2 in one go as well. The step one and later step two model seem to pertain to the Air and Mini.

commentzilla · February 15, 2022 6:44AM

tenthousandthings said:

Makes sense for the much-rumored Mini Pro and iMac Pro.

As for an M1 portable next month, not much makes sense with the M2 on the horizon. I'll go out on a limb and guess it has to be a MacBook, with colors. A lower-end option that wouldn't get the M2 right away. The M2 launch will be reserved for the new Air, an entry-level Mini, and maybe an entry-level 14-inch MBP. So it would still be a year before this MacBook and the current iMac get the M2. I think that probably works from a marketing perspective.

I'm sure this is wrong, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me...

There is barely any different between a 13" MBA and a 13" MBP in size or weight, it's almost insignificant. If anything, the 13" MBP form factor is more efficient than the MBA (illusion of thinness) and could be thinned to shed the weight different without losing any battery life, while matching it in mass. The problem is that the 14" is also almost the exact size once we minus the feet but a half pound heavier, mostly battery and screen weight.

I see them consolidating around the squared design on the MBP using the new M2 processor, which I expect to be slightly more powerful and battery efficient. The real question is the screen bezel. Will they shrink the case to match the 13" screen, leave it the same or up it to 14"? I think the best choice is to shrink the low end to the 13" screen and the expand the upper model to 14", while not exceeding the mass or weight of the current models. The low-end 13" could have the M1 and M2, while the new lower end 14" would have the low-end M2, not to be confused with the current 14" which is larger, heavier and uses the M1 Pro, later to be updated to the M2 Pro. Overall this would keep them at 2-form factors, as they have now with the 13" MBA and MBP.

It will be interesting to see if they keep the MBA name, which is really the only value that it carries: MBA 13" M1/M2, MB 14" M2, MBP 14" M1Pro and MBPM 16" M1ProMax.

Three new Macs revealed in EEC regulatory filings

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