Assuming Apple follows the same schedule it has for as long as we can remember, Mac OS Ventura 13.3 will arrive on all supported Macs on Monday or Tuesday. It’s not a huge release, the most notable new feature being a handful of emojis, but it could mean something else than that AND huge is on the horizon.
In January, This was reported by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg that the Apple Silicone Mac Pro it was running macOS Ventura 13.3 while the rest of the world was still on 13.1. Unsurprisingly, the Mac Pro is running a newer version of the Ventura in testing, as there are likely several hardware features unique to the machine and require optimization and macOS compatibility tweaks.
Nor is it surprising that Apple has been using macOS 13.3. The point 3 release of macOS was typically the largest mid-cycle release, so it makes sense for Apple to test it on the Mac Pro as future Ventura updates are likely to focus on bug fixes, performance improvements, and security updates . So now, with that version coming out in a few days, does that mean the new Mac Pro could be arriving any minute? Possibly.
Even if it comes with macOS 13.3, however, the next Mac Pro will almost certainly have its own initial version of macOS. For example, when the MacBook Air M2 AND MacBook Pro 13 inch arrived last June, they were running their own build of macOS Monterey 12.4which had arrived for existing Macs on May 16th. Then, when macOS 12.5 is here on July 20, M2 Macs updated normally with the rest of the Ventura-compatible devices.
So if the Mac Pros we’re testing do indeed run macOS 13.3, Apple could launch a new model between the launch of macOS 13.3 next week and the arrival of macOS 13.4. Going by Apple’s usual timeline, this would give Apple until mid-May to unveil the new model.
So it’s not a stretch to say that a new Mac Pro will arrive sooner rather than later, probably sooner WWDC. Even without Apple’s silicon transition, Intel’s model would be ancient by now, and if Apple hopes to convince its higher-end users of the benefits of Apple silicon, it must start yesterday.
Apple’s silicon upgrade to the Mac Pro could be coming very soon.Apple
Event horizon
As March progresses, we’re still on the lookout for any sign of a spring event. While last year’s event was held in March, 2021’s event wasn’t until April 20, so Apple may still be sending invites in the coming weeks.
But is there enough to fill a full keynote? What was once expected to be a major presentation of Apple’s next big thing now appears to have been pushed back to either WWDC or fall. We already have the new one iPhone spring color, Macbook Pros, Macminiit’s a Second generation HomePod. And the Mac Studio and iMac, the big spring announcements of 2022 and 2021 respectively, are unlikely to be updated before 2024.
But the Mac Pro could still make a splash this spring alongside the other products that aren’t AR headsets. On the Mac side, there’s the MacBook Air 15 inch. Just this week, a surprising reference to a AirPods model number not released and the case was spotted in iOS 16.4. And a new Mac Pro will almost certainly come with an updated Pro Display XDR.
Of course, it’s possible that the Mac Pro isn’t actually event-worthy, and Apple issues another round of press releases announcing the new computer and its M2 Ultra chip. Either way, you can start the countdown once macOS 13.3 arrives.
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