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Apple is rumored to be introducing MacBook Pro models with a brand new design this year. Now it is reported that mass production of the M2 chip has started.
Apple's next-generation Mac processor went into mass production this month, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia. The processors, dubbed "M2" after Apple's M1 chip, will require at least three months for production and could ship as early as July.
M1 processor: Significant performance improvements and more
The next generation of Mac processors developed by Apple entered mass production this month, according to sources familiar with the matter, bringing the US tech giant a step closer to its goal of replacing Intel-designed central processing units with its own. Shipments of the new chipset - provisionally known as M2, after Apple's current M1 processor - could begin as early as July for use in MacBooks due to be released in the second half of this year.
Manufactured by Apple supplier TSMC, M1 silicon debuted late last year with the launch of the Mac mini, MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The new processor brought significant performance improvements and better battery efficiency over Intel chips. Just last week, Apple unveiled redesigned 24-inch iMacs and a new iPad Pro line. Both product lines also rely on Apple's M1 chip.
M2 chip to be used in new MacBook Pro models
Featuring an 8-core CPU, up to 8-core GPU, 16-core neural engine, unified memory architecture, and more, Apple says the M1 chip delivers up to 3.5x faster system performance, up to 6x faster graphics performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning capabilities, while also enabling up to 2x longer battery life than previous-generation Macs. Apple stated back in 2020 that it would take the company two years to fully transition from Intel chipsets to Apple Silicon. Now, rumors suggest that future Apple Silicon Macs will include new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an all-new form factor as early as Q2 2021, in addition to a redesigned 27-inch iMac and a smaller version of the Mac Pro likely to debut in 2022. (Photo by Ekaterina79 / Bigstockphoto)
