Apple Inc. could soon refresh its Mac computer line with more than 9 new machines, Bloomberg reported late Thursday.
The new Macs, which include both laptops and desktops, are said to be powered by a next-generation chip known as the M2. It’s the successor to the M1 chip series that ships with Apple’s current computers.
Among the new Macs that Apple is believed to be developing are upgraded versions of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro’s entry-level edition. The laptops will reportedly both feature the next-generation M2 chip.
The 14- and 16-inch versions of the MacBook Pro are reportedly set to be refreshed as well. Apple will upgrade the laptops to a new processor known as the M2 Pro, which is described as a more advanced version of the upcoming M2 chip.
Recent rumors suggest that Apple’s next-generation Mac processors will be based on the A15 Bionic chip in the latest iPhones. The M2, the new chip that will power the next version of the MacBook Air and the entry-level MacBook Pro, includes a central processing unit with eight cores. Four of the cores are optimized for performance, while the other four prioritize power efficiency over speed.
The M2 will also include an integrated graphics processing unit. Rumors suggest that the integrated GPU features 10 cores, up from five in the M1 chip that powers the current MacBook Air.
The M2 Pro chip, the enhanced version of the M2 that Apple is reportedly developing, will provide even more performance. It’s believed to feature 12 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores. That’s up from the current-generation M1 chip’s eight CPU cores and five GPU cores.
The upcoming M2 chip series will reportedly include two more, even faster processors. One of those processors, the M2 Max, will power high-end versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. The chip is expected to feature a 12-core CPU as well as 38 GPU cores, three times as many as the current MacBook Air.
Rounding out Apple’s upcoming chip lineup is the M2 Ultra, which is expected to combine two M2 Max processors in a single package. The chip will become available to consumers as part of a new version of the Mac Pro, Apple’s most powerful desktop computer.
Apple engineers have started testing the upcoming Macs using third-party apps from the App Store, according to Bloomberg. This is believed to indicate that the new machines could be announced in a matter of months. At least two of the new Macs may launch around the middle of the year.
Because it reportedly contains two separate M2 Max processors, the M2 Ultra chip in the upcoming Mac Pro may feature a design similar to one of Apple’s current processors, the M1 Ultra. The latter processor powers the Mac Studio computer. It includes an Apple-developed technology, dubbed UltraFusion, that makes it possible to connect two separate chips at the hardware level while enabling them to exchange data at high speeds to facilitate processing.
Apple says that UltraFusion offers 2.5 terabits per second of bandwidth, about 4 times more than the leading competitor. This increased bandwidth allows data to travel faster between two linked chips. Enabling data to arrive at its destination faster allows it to be processed sooner, which in turn increases overall chip performance.
UltraFusion’s speed is not the only feature that could make its way to the next-generation M2 Ultra chip Apple is reportedly developing.
From a software standpoint, linking together two separate processors can create certain challenges. An application that runs well on a single processor can’t necessarily run on two, which may lead to compatibility issues. With UltraFusion, Apple avoided application-related compatibility challenges: the technology links two chips together in a way that allows programs to interact with them as if they were a single chip.
Alongside the upcoming Macs, Apple reportedly plans to debut four new iPhones this year. Two of the iPhones are expected to ship with a new system-on-chip, the A16, while the other two are rumored to feature the same silicon that powers Apple’s current smartphone lineup. The devices will join the entry-level iPhone SE that debuted last month.