Apple is planning a major overhaul of the Mac Pro, its high-end desktop computer.
According to reports in Axios, BuzzFeed, and elsewhere, the Cupertino technology company told a group of reporters that it intends to launch a new, redesigned version of the powerful workstation – but it won't be released until 2018.
"You won't see any of these products this year," exec Phil Schiller reportedly said. "It's important to do something great. That will take longer than this year to do."
He said: "We're in the process of completely rethinking the Mac Pro."
(So don't expect to see any official photos or renders of the upcoming computer any time soon.)
The Mac Pro line has long been neglected by Apple, despite calls from enthusiasts for a refresh. It has been more than 1,200 days — more than three years — since the last new release, according to MacRumors analysis.
This kind of event — a pre-announcement about a product that won't even be available this year — is extremely rare for Apple, which prefers to remain silent ahead of flashy launch events. But it sounds like the company is trying to launch a charm offensive and convince the pro-users who bought the Mac Pro that it hasn't forgotten them.
The company has even admitted fault when it comes to the last Mac Pro, with exec Craig Federighi saying (via Mashable): "The Mac Pro, the current vintage that we introduced, we wanted to do something bold and different. In retrospect, it didn't well suit some of the people we wanted to reach."
Apple is also introducing a "modest performance update" for the current cylindrical Mac Pro, according to Axios, in an attempt to placate consumers.
In addition, the company intends to launch a new "pro" version of the iMac, its more midrange desktop computer.
This story is developing...
