Apple is reportedly developing a new Mac Pro, with a Macworld report indicating it will feature the M4 Ultra chip, an unreleased processor. This potential inclusion explains the delayed release of the new Mac Pro, which was anticipated earlier this year alongside the Mac Studio.
The Mac Studio, a pro-focused hardware update, launched in March. However, no subsequent updates regarding the Mac Pro’s introduction have emerged until this recent report. Filipe Esposito, writing for Macworld, stated, “Internal code published by Apple seen by Macworld confirms that Apple is still experimenting with a new, high-end Mac Pro powered by an unreleased M4 Ultra chip.” This internal code identifies the chip with the identifier t8152, corresponding to the “M4 Ultra” naming convention, and it carries the codename “Hidra.”
The development status of the M4 Ultra chip is cited as the reason for the Mac Pro’s delayed appearance. When Apple introduced the new Mac Studio, it offered both M3 and M4 variants. The M4 Max served as one option, while the M3 Ultra was presented as the more powerful alternative. This marked the first instance of Apple launching a new product with two distinct generations of chips, notably without an M4 Ultra variant available at the time of the Mac Studio’s launch.
The integration of an M4 Ultra chip would distinguish the new Mac Pro from the Mac Studio, addressing potential minimal differentiation between the two products. The M4 Ultra’s anticipated debut in the Mac Pro suggests the chip’s development has taken longer than previously expected.
