The Apple M4 chip will focus on AI

Apple may launch a series of computers using the AI-focused M4 chip from the end of this year.

The Apple M4 chip will focus on AI Picture 1 The Apple M4 chip will focus on AI Picture 1

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman , Apple is planning to upgrade many Mac lines with the M4 processor chip, designed to "highlight artificial intelligence (AI)".

Apple is said to be "about to produce" the first M4 chips. According to Gurman's source, the new chip line "will come in at least three main types, and Apple is looking to update every Mac."

Outstanding improvements on the M4 will revolve around AI processing capabilities and how to integrate into the next version of macOS, launched at the WWDC 2024 conference in June.

The transition to the M4 chip is expected to start at the end of this year and last until 2025. Devices expected to upgrade include iMac, 14-inch MacBook Pro (basic line), 14/16-inch MacBook Pro (high line level) and Mac mini. However, Apple's plans can still change.

If the rumors are correct, Apple's upgrade cycle will take place faster this time because the iMac and MacBook Pro were just updated in October 2023, while the Mac mini was updated in January of the same year.

By 2025, Apple plans to launch the 13/15-inch MacBook Air in the spring, the Mac Studio in the middle of the year and the Mac Pro at the end of the year, all using the M4 chip.

For comparison, the MacBook Air was just updated with the M3 chip in early March, while the latest Mac Studio and Mac Pro still use M2, released in June 2023.

The low-end version of the M4 (codenamed Donan) is expected to be available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, basic Mac mini, and MacBook Air. The mid-range chip line (codenamed Brava) will appear on Mac Studio, high-end MacBook Pro and Mac mini models.

Meanwhile, the highest-end Mac Pro line will use the powerful version (codename Hidra). Although not the best-selling device, Mac Pro still has a certain number of fans.

According to Bloomberg , Apple is looking to upgrade the processor chip after complaints about the previous generation's specifications. In particular, Mac Studio and Mac Pro can support up to half a TB of RAM, a sharp increase from the current 192 GB.

Due to Apple's design, users cannot easily upgrade the system's RAM. With AI features on the M4, Apple plans to focus processing capabilities on the device instead of over the Internet.

According to Gurman, the Mac M4 launches at an important time because after peaking in 2022, Mac sales dropped 27% in the latest fiscal quarter (ending September 2023). Although the M3 versions were first released late last year, this chip line did not contribute too much.

Currently, Apple has not released Mac Studio or Mac Pro with M3 chip. Gurman left this possibility open because the company is still testing the product, using an unreleased M3 chip model and the Brava M4 series.

Mac Studio currently still has two chip options M2 Max and M2 Ultra. Although the M2 Max is available on the MacBook Pro, Apple has not yet introduced an M3 version equivalent to the M2 Ultra.