Apple’s engineers are apparently busy developing as many as three new Mac computer models that would reportedly feature in-house designed coprocessors not unlike the custom “T1” and “T2” chips used in the company’s latest MacBook Pro and iMac Pro models.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Monday that the Cupertino giant is working on “at least three updated Mac models” with custom coprocessors, slated for release “as soon as this year.”
The new machines include refreshed notebooks and a new desktop computer, according to a person familiar with the plan. A new desktop is likely a radically redesigned, modular Mac Pro machine that Apple last year said was in the works without saying when it might arrive.
As for the updated notebooks mentioned in Bloomberg’s store, smart money is on a next-generation MacBook Pro model and possibly a brand new 13-inch MacBook laptop that could replace the aging MacBook Air family in Apple’s notebook lineup.
“Apple watchers believe it’s just a matter of time before the company designs the entire CPU, at which point Intel would lose its fifth-largest customer,” reads the article.
So far, the only two Mac product lines that include custom Apple coprocessors are the redesigned MacBook Pro notebook with Touch Bar and the new iMac Pro all-in-one desktop.
The report also mentioned a new iPad model, due later this year, that would include Apple-designed graphics and an artificial intelligence chip, firsts for the iPad line.
“The new iPad, due to be released toward the end of the year, will probably also include the Apple-designed graphics engine and AI chip,” the author wrote.
Are you looking forward to Mac refreshes this year?
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