Apple Analyst: Only Expect MacBook Air & 13-Inch Pro With ARM Silicon This Year

For quite some time now, there have been rumors of Apple transitioning to its own ARM-based silicon for its Mac products. Then, Apple finally made the announcement at WWDC last month, and now we get to watch it happen. Meanwhile, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told MacRumors what kind of timeline to expect.

Kuo explained that the first products to receive the ARM treatment should be the 13-inch MacBook Pro as well as the MacBook air, expecting them to go into production by the end of the year. 

Of course, it should go without saying that this is a rumor, though the transition process makes sense. After all, Apple did state at its WWDC announcement that it would be delivering the first parts with Apple Silicon this year and complete the transition within two years. 

If you're wondering why Apple isn't transitioning all products at once, it's because of the high-end requirements. Users that aren't too demanding of their systems should be able to transition without noticing too much of a change when jumping onto Apple Silicon, but for creators or professionals that use programs currently programmed for x86, a quick transition could be quite problematic. Therefore, Apple is sticking with Intel for the high-end parts, which includes the 16-inch MacBook Pro, until the jump can safely be completed.

Meanwhile, Kuo also noted that there would be a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro inbound, which is quite exciting as it's a very popular form factor for PC notebooks. He says to expect the 14.1 and 16-inch MacBook Pro's with Apple Silicon in either Q2 or Q3 of 2021. No word on what will happen with the iMacs.