PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
Apple launches M6 iMac, entry-level MacBook Pro ahead of touchscreen laptop
· The Straits Times- Apple launched a new 24-inch iMac and entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip, keeping the same look but upgrading performance inside.
- The iMac is “five times faster” for AI, and the MacBook Pro is “30% speedier” in graphics. Both add Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 7.
- Pre-orders start on Oct 28, with sales from Nov 6. Apple is also preparing a touch-screen MacBook Pro, plus more Mac updates in 2027 and 2028.
Apple has rolled out a new 24-inch iMac and an entry-level MacBook Pro with a 14-inch screen, marking key updates in an end-to-end overhaul of the company’s computer line.
The new iMac and MacBook Pro, unveiled on Oct 27, are visually similar to their predecessors – with the main changes happening internally. Both machines now include the M6 chip, which debuted in the Mac mini in September. The iMac is moving from an M4 processor, while the MacBook Pro received the M5 in 2025.
The updates represent a second day of Apple announcements this week, with the company rolling out a revamped iPad mini on Oct 26 with a new screen and water resistance. Apple will cap the launches on Oct 28 with its first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, Bloomberg News has reported.
The updated iMac and low-end MacBook Pro become available for pre-orders on Oct 28 and will arrive beginning Nov 6, Apple said, matching the new iPad mini. The new iMac starts at US$1,499 (S$1,920), while the MacBook Pro begins at US$1,999.
Apple said the M6 chip makes the iMac five times faster than the prior model from 2024 for artificial intelligence, while the new MacBook Pro is 30% speedier than its predecessor for graphics.
The company continues to sell higher-end M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, which have more advanced main processing and graphics cores compared with the entry M6 machines.
The updated 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac also include Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 7, while the laptop gets faster charging. Both machines go on sale Nov. 6 after pre-orders open on Oct 28.
The new Macs come as part of a slew of changes to the company’s computer line. Beyond the push into touchscreen displays, Apple is preparing a refreshed MacBook Neo and MacBook Air for the first half of 2027.
The company is also working on a redesigned low-end MacBook Pro and the release of its first M7, M7 Pro and M7 Max chips in 2027. It is planning an M7 Ultra and a new Mac Studio in 2028.
Apple’s overhauled MacBook Pro with a touchscreen – coming on Oct 28 – will include a lighter and slightly thinner design, slimmer bezels around the display and OLED technology, Bloomberg reported.