The next generation of Mac processors designed by Apple, the “M2,” has entered mass production this month, Nikkei Asia reports, citing “sources familiar with the matter.” The release of the M2 will bring the Cupertino Colossus one step closer to its goal of upgrading the entire Mac lineup from Intel CPUs.
Shipments are said to begin as early as July, hinting at a possible unveiling at Apple’s WWDC 2021 in early June.
Shipments of the new chipset — tentatively known as the M2, after Apple’s current M1 processor — could begin as early as July for use in MacBooks that are scheduled to go on sale in the second half of this year, the people said.
Sources said it will eventually be used in other Mac and Apple devices beyond the MacBook.
Apple first introduced the M1 in late 2020 and said it would take the company two years to fully transition from using Intel chipsets to its own.
Thanks to the stay-at-home economy and teleworking boom spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, Mac shipments jumped 29% to 23.1 million units in 2020, according to research company IDC. In the January-March period, Apple shipped 6.69 million Macs, up 111% from the year before [according to IDC estimates; Apple does not report Mac unit sales – MDN Ed.].
MacDailyNews Take: It’s almost time for the next big leap forward: M2!