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WWDC 2026 is fast approaching, and the rumours are flying in with it. Apple’s annual developers’ conference is traditionally a software event, but while initial whispers got us excited for a surprise wave of new hardware updates, AI-driven Mac desktop demand and the RAM crisis could delay things…
What we know
The Mac mini and Mac Studio are currently selling out due to high demand for AI applications and assistants – driven by their attractive unified memory architecture. It seems even Apple themselves have been surprised by how popular these machines are for AI use, and they’ve reacted…
In a bid to shorten the production line, they’ve recently reduced the maximum unified memory of the Mac mini to 48GB, and the Mac Studio to 96GB. They’ve also increased the baseline SSD storage of the Mac mini from 256GB to 512GB. Meanwhile, at Apple’s recent Q2 earnings call, they told us to expect supply constraints for both these models for another few months.
Unfortunately, this suggests we might not see upgrades for either of these at WWDC 2026 in June, and we might have to wait until the end of summer or even autumn. Whenever the new upgrades do land, though, here’s what to expect from Mac desktops and more.
Mac mini
The next Mac mini upgrade will see a natural chip progression from M4 to M5 and M5 Pro, bringing with it faster processing speeds and improved energy efficiency. We’ve already seen the baseline storage for the current model increase from 256GB to 512GB. When the chip upgrade does eventually happen, we expect the baseline to remain at 512GB for the M5, but jump to 1TB for the M5 Pro.
Mac Studio
Get ready, power users. Mac Studio’s next upgrade will see the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip bring elevated capabilities for tasks like video editing and software development. It will also bring massive improvements in AI performance. We’d love to see this land in June, but for reasons mentioned, it’s looking increasingly likely that Apple will hold off until autumn.
iMac
Same goes for the 24-inch iMac. M4 will make way for the more powerful M5 chip and the iMac will make even lighter work of tasks for everyday users and professionals alike. New design changes are highly unlikely, and the baseline storage is expected to rise to 512GB – up from 256GB. Again, we expect this to land after summer, but you never know.
iPad
This one is also a long shot for June. The regular iPad is the last of its immediate family to get Apple Intelligence, and with it, an A18 chip for faster performance. Rumours suggest that Apple might wait until September for this upgrade to coincide with the launch of the A20 chip.
Software updates
One thing we can pretty much guarantee from every WWDC is an OS update. Improvements this year are expected to boost performance and stability across the board, bring new features to both developers and users, and strengthen the Apple ecosystem for swifter connections between devices.
Upgrade your Macs without the down payment
We’ll have an eager eye on WWDC 2026 when it kicks off at Apple Park on 8th June. In the meantime, if you’re thinking about levelling up your equipment or bringing new devices on board to boost your business, then we can help.
Browse our flexible leasing solutions to find the right fit for you, designed to give you control and protect your cash flow. Need a hand with anything or want to know what other opportunities we offer our customers on top of quality Apple equipment? Call 01952 876928, email sales@leaseloop.co or fill in our online contact form.