According to industry expert Mark Gurman, Apple may skip the M3 generation of chips for Mac models, including the Mac mini. Gurman speculates that the company’s timeline for the M4 Mac mini in late 2024 or early 2025 leaves little room for an M3 release. This aligns with previous instances where Apple Silicon Macs have skipped chip generations, such as the 24-inch iMac moving directly from M1 to M3 and the Mac Pro leaping from Intel to M2. However, if the M4 chips arrive by the end of 2024, it would mark a faster turnaround than other Apple Silicon updates. Apple’s M4 series is expected to prioritize AI capabilities to power on-device generative AI features in upcoming operating system updates.