Apple's new Mac Pro won't arrive until 2019, the company now confirms. Apple said in 2017 that it was "completely rethinking" the Mac Pro line, which makes considering how polarizing the response has been toward the cylindrical "trash bin" Mac Pro redesign in 2013.
"We want to be transparent and communicate openly with our pro community so we want them to know that the Mac Pro is a 2019 product," said Tom Boger, Apple's senior director for Mac hardware product marketing.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Boger stresses that the timeline is crucial. Apple knows that another product in its Mac portfolio, the new iMac Pro, appeals to the type of customer who might also purchase a Mac Pro, and so Apple wants to parse them out to help pro users better understand how the products differ in the lineup. There are many customers, according to Boger, who are trying to determine "whether or not they should wait for the Mac Pro."
Modular Mac Pro Coming In 2019
Beyond its confirmed 2019 release schedule, not much is currently known about the forthcoming Mac Pro; Apple has failed to give specific details on the redesign, specs, and other pertinent information. The new Mac Pro will be modular, though, that much is confirmed.
"[T]hat's the direction we're going," said Boger.
Apple also confirms that a new team called the Pro Workflow Team is working on the new machine and is tasked to facilitate efficient collaboration between Apple's hardware and software departments to ensure the Mac Pro meets the needs of its target audience: Pro users.
Simply put, this team is in charge of making sure that apps and software will run smoothly on the new Mac Pro, especially programs that are extremely graphics- and processor-intensive, like Final Cut Pro.
ARM-Based Processor
It's possible the new Mac Pro could be the first Apple computer to come with an ARM-based processor. Such a decision will confirm the company's transition away from Intel chips for its Macs, as reported recently. It's pretty unlikely, though. Apple is trying to repair the Mac Pro's reputation to its target audience, most of which have been disappointed at Apple's lackluster support for serious Pro users. Putting an ARM-based processor on what's supposed to be a huge comeback is a risk, and Apple is too calculating and careful to take that, especially when the stakes are high.
What do you want out of a redesigned Mac Pro? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
