Apple Set to Launch M4 Processors for MacBooks with Focus on AI

The M3 Macs have been middling updates with a focus on the GPU for gamers and video editors

Apple is preparing to respond to the competition in the AI-powered laptop market with the launch of its M4 processors later this year, according to a report by Bloomberg. The move comes as Intel and Qualcomm partner with Microsoft to introduce AI-focused Windows notebooks powered by their latest chipsets, Meteor Lake and Snapdragon Elite X, respectively.

The M4 processors will be offered in three main varieties: M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max. Apple plans to refresh its entire Mac line with these chipsets, including a new iMac, lower-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, and Mac mini. The company is also expected to launch M4 Ultra-powered Mac Pro and Mac Studio models in 2024.

Apple's focus with the M4 processors will be on-device processing for generative AI, following the launch of its M3 line of chipsets in late 2023, which doubled down on gaming and discrete graphics with ray-traced GPUs. The new processors are said to be designed to highlight artificial intelligence capabilities.

The report suggests that Apple may skip the M3 Ultra Mac Pro, as the current M2 Ultra model is already powerful and expensive. Instead, the company may directly jump to an M4 Ultra-based Mac Pro next year. The highest-end Apple desktop, codenamed Hidra, is set to get the new chip and could offer up to half a terabyte of RAM, a significant increase from the current 192GB.

The M4 chipsets could be based on a new 3nm process, potentially the same as the A18 Pro chip expected to feature in the iPhone 16 series. As Apple gears up for the launch of its AI-focused M4 processors, the competition in the laptop market is set to intensify, with consumers eagerly awaiting the next generation of high-performance, AI-powered devices.