Apple's next-generation MacBook Pro slated for launch in the third quarter is expected to feature Apple's M3 chip, which uses TSMC's 3nm process, according to industry sources.
Apple has been known to make major changes to its Mac product line every two to three years but is now quickening its pace.
According to Apple supply chain players, mass production for the newest MacBook has started, but Apple's pull-in momentum in the first half of this year was weak, falling by double digits year on year. The launch of the new MacBook in the second half will help shipment volume, but Apple emphasized that operational growth will be limited amid weak overall market demand.
Apple launched its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the M2 Max and M2 Pro processors in January, but pull-in momentum was limited. Supply chain players pointed out that Apple's first-quarter 2023 shipments were flat and did not see movement until the middle of the second quarter. The increase is mainly attributed to the announcement of the M2-equipped 15-inch MacBook Air at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), coupled with the lowering of existing MacBook Air prices.
Industry observers previously expected Apple to debut its M3 chip in the first half of this year since TSMC had already begun mass production. However, along with reports that TSMC's yield was unsatisfactory and Apple postponed the launch due to unfavorable market conditions, the industry now estimates that if Apple launches a new MacBook Pro in the third quarter it will be equipped with the M3 chip.
The market has reported that the new M3 MacBook Pro will be a 13-inch model, while supply chain players have pointed to 14-inch and 16-inch models.
Supply chain sources said Apple will launch new MacBooks in the second half, but remain unclear about the shipment volume. Since all brands are dealing with sluggish demand, in part due to the pandemic purchase boom, buying momentum is not expected to see significant growth until the time comes to replace pandemic purchases.
Replacement purchases are not anticipated to begin until 2024 at the earliest, based on the typical three- to four-year replacement cycle. This means that demand in second-half 2023 will not be strong. Chromebooks began seeing a replacement wave in second-quarter 2023, attributed to the design and application of Chromebooks.
DIGITIMES Research estimates 19.9 million MacBooks will be shipped in 2023, falling 14.99% compared with 2022. This is slightly higher than the shipment decline in the overall market of 13.2%. It is also the first time shipments are expected to dip below 20 million since the start of the pandemic.
Despite the decline, supply chain players say the effect on Apple's orders has been insignificant, noting that order adjustments from other brands have been more active.
Article translated by Eifeh Strom
