Key Takeaways
- Apple reportedly developed two unreleased Mac Pro models before the Apple Mac Pro discontinued, a decision that ended the product line.
- One canceled Mac Pro reportedly used an Intel processor despite Apple’s silicon transition.
- Apple is shifting professional desktop users toward the Mac Studio lineup.
Apple reportedly developed two unreleased Mac Pro models, including an Intel-powered version, before abandoning the product line due to cost and demand concerns, according to a Bloomberg report published Sunday. The company Apple Mac Pro discontinued the product line in March and says it has no plans for future models.
Apple Explored Multiple Mac Pro Designs
Apple considered several paths for the Mac Pro before deciding to end the workstation lineup, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter.
According to the report, the company developed two unreleased Mac Pro models, codenamed J170 and J190. One was designed around an Intel processor despite Apple’s ongoing transition to its own silicon. The other was an M3 Ultra-powered Mac Pro intended to launch alongside the M3 Ultra Mac Studio in early 2025. Neither product reached the market.
Gurman also reported that Apple had designed M2 Extreme and M3 Extreme chips to sit above its Ultra processors. Those projects were later canceled because of development costs and limited expected demand.
“I’m told Apple had developed both M2 Extreme and M3 Extreme chips before winding down those projects due to cost and demand concerns,” Gurman wrote.
Apple Ends the Mac Pro Era
Apple officially discontinued the Mac Pro in March after removing the desktop from its website and confirming it had no plans to introduce another version. The company now directs professional desktop buyers to the Mac Studio.
The Mac Pro received its last hardware update in 2023, when Apple introduced an M2 Ultra version. However, the smaller Mac Studio later surpassed it with newer chips while offering similar performance for many professional users.
Apple has not publicly commented on the reported Intel-based prototype or the canceled Extreme processors.
Mac Studio Becomes Apple’s High-End Desktop
The report suggests Apple Mac Pro discontinued plans reflect that the company no longer sees a role for the Mac Pro in its desktop lineup. Gurman said he does not expect the company to revive the product “anytime soon — if ever.” Instead, Apple is reportedly preparing updated Mac Studio models featuring M5 Ultra chips as early as this fall.
The Mac Pro debuted in 2006 as Apple’s flagship workstation for professionals such as video editors, photographers, and software developers. Over the years, it became known for its modular design and expansion capabilities, features that distinguished it from other Mac desktops.
Although Apple completed its transition to in-house processors across the Mac lineup, the reported existence of an unreleased Intel-powered Mac Pro highlights that the company explored multiple strategies before the Apple Mac Pro discontinued ending the product family.
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