Apple Might Release 3 Macs This Year, And They Could Come With Homegrown Processors
With the introduction of the iPhone X’s A11 Bionic, Apple has shown the world that its taking leaps in its silicon development. Now, rumors have spread that Apple plans to release three new Macs this year with upgraded homegrown co-processors, like the T1 and T2 seen in the MacBook Pro Touch Bar and the iMac Pro.
3 New Macs In 2018
Recently, Bloomberg speculated that Apple would release new Mac laptops and an iMac this year. The new Macs will reportedly be built with Apple’s custom co-processors.
The Verge believes that the Cupertino-based company might not have fully developed a chip that could power Macs on its own yet. So, the three new Macs rumored for release this year will most likely have slightly upgraded co-processors.
Currently, Apple has only released two personal computers with co-processers, namely the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and the iMac Pro. Both computers have Apple’s T-series silicon or chips which support the Intel processors that run the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and iMac Pro.
The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar has a built-in T1 chip. Wired explained that the T1 processor was explicitly created for the Touch bar and Touch ID of the laptop. Meanwhile, the iMac Pro was released with the T2 processor, which handles some of the features that the Intel chip would otherwise run, reported Macworld.
Apple’s Homegrown Silicon
iPhones, iPads, the iWatch series, and even the Air Pods all run on chipsets made by Apple. However, the American tech company still relies heavily on Intel chips to run its MacBooks and iMacs.
As a result, Apple is not bound or limited by the capabilities of Intel chips when it comes to designing its iPhones, iPads, and wearables. The situation is different with the Mac line since the California-based company still relies heavily on third-party chips to run them. So, MacBook and iMac designs are limited by the capabilities of these third-party processors.
2018 Mac Predictions
The iPhone X has unlocked a lot of new features that could be integrated into the rumored 2018 Macs. For instance, Apple might decide to introduce a whole new T-chip which introduces Face ID to the Mac line-up. The underrated Neural Engine of the iPhone X could also find its way into MacBooks and iMacs.
If Apple were to upgrade its Mac line, the most probable model would be the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar since rumors were circulating last year that a new version would be released, according to Tech Radar. The MacBook Air or the MacBook are also possible candidates for upgrades if they aren’t scrapped this year, as the Sun reported.
The T1 and T2 chips reveal that Apple is making its way towards Macs that run on homegrown processors. Despite recent rumors, however, the Cupertino-based company still has a lot of work to do before an Apple-made processor can run Macs.
