The Apple Silicon family now comprises of a total of three chipsets, with the technology giant reportedly wanting to extend that range further with the launch of the M2, which is expected to arrive next year. According to the latest report, the company’s plan is to introduce a new iteration of custom chipsets every 18 months.
New M2 SoC to Use 4nm Process, With Its Direct Successor to Use TSMC’s N3 Architecture
Fresh information published on Commercial Times and spotted by MacRumors talks about an 18-month upgrade cycle for the Apple Silicon. The M1 launched back in 2020, and shortly after, we were greeted by beefier versions of the chipset, called the M1 Pro and M1 Max. Both the M1 Pro and M1 Max featured larger die sizes, increased CPU core, and GPU core counts, but these were not regarded as the direct successor to the M1.
Instead, the M2 will serve that role, and therefore, complete the 18-month upgrade cycle. This upcoming SoC is codenamed Staten and is reported to launch in the first half of 2022. Where the M1 was mass produced on the 5nm process, the M2 shall take advantage of TSMC’s 4nm technology, bringing improved performance and power efficiency to the table. As for which products Apple intends to use its M2 in, that part was not discussed in the latest report, but that does not mean we do not have previous information available for our readers.
It is likely that the next MacBook Air, which is reported on multiple occasions to sport a redesign, along with a display upgrade and a fresh swath of colors, will feature the M2. The M2’s H2 2022 release falls in line with a previous rumor, with a separate report stating that the MacBook Air that will be fueled by this chipset will be mass produced in the third quarter of next year.
It is unclear how the ongoing chip shortage will affect the supply next year, as well as the transition to mini-LED, but the MacBook Air featuring a new silicon would allow future customers to obtain a more powerful, portable machine that also delivers exceptionally on battery life.
Are you excited for the M2 launch reportedly happening next year? Tell us down in the comments.
News Source: CTEE
