During a recent Q&A session focused on the Apple Car, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman provided insights into Apple’s upcoming chip developments. Gurman revealed that the chip powering the Apple Car would be equivalent to four M2 Ultra chips combined. Additionally, he mentioned an underlying “safetyOS” system within the vehicle’s operating system, although he didn’t elaborate further.
Gurman also touched on the development of a new MacBook Pro featuring the M4 chip, stating that Apple has recently initiated formal development of this model. However, specific details about the M4 chip remain undisclosed, as it is yet to be officially announced by Apple.
Apple’s chip release pattern indicates that there has been an approximately year-and-a-half gap between each chip’s introduction, with the M1 chip unveiled in November 2020, followed by the M2 chip in June 2022, and the M3 chip towards the end of October 2023. If this trend continues, the M4 chip could be expected to debut in the first half of 2025. However, a late 2024 release is also plausible if the release cycle shortens to one year.
The latest MacBook Pro lineup introduced in October features the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. This refresh also saw the discontinuation of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, replaced by a new 14-inch model with the M3 chip. The MacBook Air and iMac have also been updated with the M3 chip, leaving the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro as the remaining models still equipped with the M2 family of chips.
While Apple’s chipmaking partner TSMC is set to begin volume production of 2nm chips in the second half of 2025, the M4 chip is expected to remain at 3nm like its predecessor, but with enhancements for improved performance and power efficiency.
Recent reports suggest that the M4 chip will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with significantly more cores for artificial intelligence tasks. However, further details about the chip are yet to be disclosed.
In summary, Apple’s ongoing development of the M4 chip for future MacBook Pro models indicates the company’s commitment to advancing its chip technology and enhancing the performance of its devices.
