Apple appears to have unintentionally confirmed that new Macs are on the way, as Find My configuration files have revealed identifiers for unreleased Macs. While the specifics of these new Macs remain unclear, this news suggests that Apple could be preparing to launch them soon.
The rumors about new Macs have been conflicting, with some reports indicating that new MacBook Pro models will launch in the coming months, while others suggest that we may see new iMacs and Mac Pros as well. Regardless of what form the new Macs take, it seems likely that Apple will have some surprises in store for its users in the near future.
Developer Nicolás Álvarez was the first to notice the identifiers for unreleased Macs in a configuration file for Apple’s Find My network. The file is used to specify Mac models that won’t trigger notifications when they are left behind. The discovery is a clear indication that new Macs are on the way, although it’s still uncertain which specific models will be released and when they will hit the market.
The configuration file in question is related to the “separation monitoring” feature in Find My, which is designed to prevent a user from leaving behind their portable Apple device. The new identifiers, which include Mac14,8, Mac14,13, and Mac14,14, were spotted alongside the identifiers for the latest M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini models, specifically Mac14,3 and Mac14,12.
It is unclear whether these new identifiers are for desktop Mac models that do not require active tracking via Find My or for other unreleased portable Mac models. This unintentional confirmation by Apple adds to the growing number of rumors and speculation about new Macs launching soon.
— Nicolás Álvarez (@nicolas09F9) April 22, 2023
It’s worth noting that the Macs featuring the M2 chip are all assigned the identifier of “Mac14.x,” with the exact identifier number varying based on the specific device configuration. For instance, the M2 Mac mini carries the identifier “Mac14,3,” while the M2 Pro Mac mini is labeled “Mac14,12,” and the M2 MacBook Air is assigned “Mac14,2.”
As previously stated, the exact details of these new Mac models are unclear. Apple has recently been using more generic “Mac”-based model identifiers, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly which member of the family these new identifiers refer to. However, the upcoming Mac Pro is expected to receive a much-needed update soon. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that the new Mac Pro may not be ready for launch at the WWDC event in June.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has suggested that the Mac Pro may not be updated until high-end members of the M3 chip family are available in early 2024. The iMac is another possibility for a desktop Mac update, but it’s unlikely to happen until later this year at the earliest, when M3 chips become available. The Mac mini was just updated in January, so it’s unlikely to see another update anytime soon.
Previous reports have suggested that Apple may skip M2 and instead release an M3-powered iMac. Considering this, it’s possible that the unreleased Mac model identifiers discovered in the Find My configuration files could be intended for a new Mac Pro or Mac Studio.
It remains to be seen how many different products are represented by the three new model identifiers. As has been the case with previous Mac releases, a single product can have multiple identifiers to reflect different chip options. Therefore, the new identifiers may indicate three variations of a single product or two variants of one product and a single variant of another.
More information about potential Mac updates may surface closer to the time of WWDC, but it currently seems that the most likely Mac release at the event will be a new 15-inch MacBook Air rather than a desktop Mac.
It’s worth noting that rumors surrounding the chip to be used in the next generation of MacBook models have been conflicting. While it’s been nearly a year since Apple released the M2 chip with the redesigned MacBook Air, it remains unclear whether the upcoming MacBooks will feature the M3 chip.
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