Apple Silicon has been a long time coming, Dan Hansen writes. What’s next for Apple Silicon Macs? Think more CPU cores, more GPU cores, more memory, and new designs.
To the disappointment of many, the rumors that swirled in the run-up to WWDC, of a new MacBook Pro to be announced at the event keynote on June 7, have been proven incorrect. But those rumors have since been shown to have a likely factual basis via ‘m1x’ and ‘ M1X MacBook Pro’ keyword tags attached to the WWDC keynote video. Keeping in mind that even the most well-sourced rumors can be derailed by changing circumstances, a recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman provides details of the following four upcoming M-series chips:
• Jade C-Die: 8 high-performance cores / 2 energy-efficient cores, 32 GPU cores.
• Jade 2C-Die: 16 high-performance cores / 4 energy-efficient cores, 64 GPU cores.
• Jade 4C-Die: 32 high-performance cores / 8 energy-efficient cores, 128 GPU cores.
• Staten: 4 high-performance cores / 4 energy-efficient cores, 10 GPU cores.
While Apple tends to release new Macs in the fall, the WWDC keynote video keyword tags seem to indicate that the release of the updated MacBook Pros is imminent, no later than the end of July. If Apple follows the pattern of the initial Apple silicon Mac release, the higher-end Mac mini will be included in this launch. The larger iMac would also seem to be a candidate to co-launch with the MacBook Pros, but like the 24-inch iMac, it may be pushed back by a few months.
The fall should bring the higher-end MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook and at least some mention of the Mac Pro. Possibly an update to the current Intel-based model, and/or a preview of the Apple silicon model, but the current expectation is that M-series Mac Pro won’t ship before next year.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple initially said on June 22, 2020 that day was the beginning a two-year transition for the Mac to its world-class custom silicon. So, taking the company at its word, we’d expect the last Mac to go Apple Silicon to be the Mac Pro and for it to debut at (or very near to) the beginning of WWDC 2022 next June.
I don’t know why Apple even bothered with a 3-4 year too late “new” 2019 Mac Pro that was really released in 2020. Two years later we face obsolescence with a new architecture and my guess startlingly greater performance? Not to mention cutting off at the knees any decent resale value. They really screwed the pro pooch.
…this post could be copy/pasted from numerous others that appear with regularity for the past 20 years. Either Apple is constantly pushing the ball forward, or it isn’t. Everyone cries when it isn’t being pushed far enough or fast enough, but they cry when the hardware is pushed too far ahead (because the software needs to catch up). Or if the hardware falls behind the software (everything is running sluggish), and conspiracy theories pop up about Apple forcing obsolescence, but then they go and support devices from 6 years ago. Belly aching…. The only way Apple would be shooting itself in the foot would be to slow everything down, or to not ever ship anything because they have other even better ideas in the pipeline. Granted, if you bought into an Intel Mac late in the game, that does take the new car smell right off, but if Apple didn’t hit a home run right out of the gate you’d have been glad to have an established machine while Apple figures things out with the first few versions.
Apple PR flack 👆
More like reasonably well informed Mac user who’s been around a while. Who reads MDN and is shocked that buying an intel iMac in 2020 might be replaced by Apple Silicon sometime in the near future? Maybe some casual user who doesn’t come here or read rumors, but then they’d be fine with an Intel Mac for the next 6 years.
…much less a Mac Pro user.
Screwing the pooch sounds sickening. They eat dogs in Asia but who screws them? It gives Dog lover a sad connotation.
Apple PR flack #2 👆
As am I a very informed Mac user since 1992 and pro for 35 years in the film industry. While it was generally known Apple would get around to making it’s own silicon unless you were privy to the internal workings at Apple the WHEN was unknown. Once Apple Silicon machines were introduced they are obviously rolling them out now as fast as they can, knowing Intel machines are now a lame duck. Bit by bit the wall of change has had it’s bricks removed much faster than anticipated or expected.
From Tim Cook’s assurances “supporting Intel machines for years to come” to “Some OS X Monterey features are not supported in Intel Macs” already – they should’ve saved that trick for a future version of OS X. We Intel Mac users are fast becoming an old embarrassment for Apple. Buying previous Mac Pro’s gave you fully supported machines up to and past a normal life span. The 2019 Mac Pro not so much at this rate.
Every MacOS feature that existed when you bought your Intel Mac will work for years to come, exactly as promised. They did not promise that features in future OS releases that are hardware-dependent would be developed in parallel for both the current and discontinued processor families.
@TxUser
True, but this is premature obsolescence by definition.
The Apple two year deadline depresses me because once complete, nothing will stop Apple from ruling the world even more than they already do. It makes my bleating here seem even less effectual than it already is. I mean, I am Mr Ineffectual, that’s why I bleat here like a lost sheep , it’s my only salvation in life, my only outlet of rage and angst. AA and their 12 step program have banned me – they keep telling me the A in AA stands for Alcoholics Anonymous, not Apple Angst or Against Apple. Weighr Watchera have told me to stop waiting and the YMCA wants me to get on a navy ship and never come back. Not even the Trump organisation wants me as a member. Epstein is dead so I can’t visit him anymore and fondle his collection of MS DOS 1.0 packages, and the early model Apple I motherboards just don’t do it for me. It’s a sad life being an ineffectual Apple hater.
Nothing will stop Apple? How about competition? It’s not like Apple is preventing other companies from creating better products. Sounds you’re saying that Apple making things that lots of people want to buy makes them a bad company.
M-X family is a game changer. Intel, others are scrambling for a response.
I bought one, it’s impressive, but it’s more of a paradigm shift and doesn’t represent anything that others can’t do.
I am applecynsic and I don’t think paradigm shifts are important. I am the all knowing old white guy who knows all and knows that Apple is not good for you because I said so. Don’t mind the crusty old white guy behind the curtain, it’s just me spreading gobs of FUD because that is my job. I am an old fuddy-duddy with an emphasis on Dud.
Like I say to everyone, Dud, you’re getting a Dell.
Actually evil twin… I’m hoping it gets the other greedy retards to up their game. Even they can do it.
Sorry bro, you are the evil twin.
Apple silicon will follow the needs and uses of iPhones, iPads, and upcoming Apple Glasses. So FaceID is coming soon, portrait video which will be on new iPhones, augmented reality through face tracking, and of course faster, smarter, and more capable. Expect the GPU’s to become outrageously fast, shockingly and bafflingly fast. It’s necessary for what comes next.
The capabilities of M1X will be in iPhone within a few years… 😮
Wall Street doesn’t seem to think Apple Silicon is anything special for Apple. Certainly not a game-changer where millions of Windows and Chromebook computer users will be switching over to Apple computers. It doesn’t even seem as though Apple is pushing Apple Silicon in a marketing blitz sort of strategy. I’m definitely impressed with Apple Silicon and will certainly be replacing all my Intel Macs with Apple Silicon Macs because I think Apple Silicon is superior in all ways for my specific needs. Whenever I see those Windows computers with those freaking huge double- and triple-slot PCIe GPUs, I just have to laugh. I understand why some people want or need them, but that’s just too over the top for me. I think it’s really awesome how a single processor can be used on three different platforms. That has to be unusual in terms of economies of scale for Apple.
Covid is slowing everyone down as far as chips go. Apple probably isn’t announcing the new models until they can get enough of them.