Apple Unveils New MacBook Pro, iPad Pro & Vision Pro Powered by M5 Chip

Apple announced new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro models on Wednesday, all powered by the updated M5 chip. This upgrade promises significantly enhanced performance compared to their predecessors, marking a strategic move as the holiday shopping season approaches.

The new MacBook Pro models are priced starting at $1,599 and will be available on October 22nd. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999. The latest Apple Vision Pro, now featuring a Dual Knit Band for improved comfort, starts at $3,499.

These devices are available for pre-order immediately, representing the latest additions to Apple’s fall product lineup.

Apple initiated its fall product rollout with the iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11 models launched in September. The company typically follows with updated laptops, iPads, and other devices in October, strategically timing releases ahead of the critical December quarter.

The December quarter, historically Apple’s strongest in terms of sales, is heavily influenced by holiday and Christmas shopping. Consequently, Apple consistently updates its best-selling products during the fall season. This year, the launch benefits from being the first full quarter of iPhone 17 sales.

The core of this new device lineup is Apple’s M5 chip. According to Apple, the M5 boasts a fourfold increase in peak compute performance compared to the previous M4 generation. This leap in processing power is particularly crucial for demanding applications like video editing, gaming, and increasingly, AI-driven tasks.

Johny Srouji, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, emphasized the M5’s capabilities in a release: “M5 delivers a huge boost to AI workloads.” This statement underscores Apple’s commitment to integrating AI capabilities more deeply into its hardware ecosystem. The improved Neural Engine within the M5 chip likely plays a key role in accelerating on-device machine learning tasks, potentially benefiting features like image recognition, natural language processing, and augmented reality experiences.

Wednesday’s announcement comes as Wall Street analysts are closely monitoring Apple’s pricing strategy amidst concerns regarding potential cost increases stemming from geopolitical factors. Analysts are keen to see how Apple navigates the complexities to maintain profitability without deterring consumers.

While iPads and MacBooks are not as crucial as iPhone sales, they remain substantial businesses within Apple’s portfolio, contributing significantly to overall revenue.

In the June quarter, Apple reported $6.58 billion in iPad sales, reflecting an 8% year-over-year decrease. This was attributed to challenging comparisons with the previous year, which saw the release of new iPad Pro models.

Mac sales in the June quarter totaled $8.05 billion, representing a 15% increase compared to the previous year. Apple had previously launched a new version of its best-selling laptop, the MacBook Air, earlier this year, contributing to this growth.

Apple has not disclosed specific sales figures for the Vision Pro headset. Instead, its sales are included within the “wearables, home, and accessories” category alongside Apple Watch and AirPods. Industry analysts estimate that Vision Pro revenue is currently negligible, although its long-term potential is a subject of considerable debate.

Collectively, MacBook, iPads, and Vision Pro account for a smaller portion of Apple’s total revenue compared to the iPhone, which contributed over 47% in the June quarter with nearly $45 billion in sales. Consequently, Wall Street analysts primarily focus on iPhone sales and growth when evaluating Apple’s performance, viewing these metrics as key indicators of the company’s overall health.