Report: Apple Silicon iMac Featuring Desktop Class 'A14T' Chip Coming First Half of 2021

[latts]

I wonder how the release schedule for the A series chips will affect the updates of the Mac lineup. As the A series are used in the yearly refreshed iPhones and iPads they come out - surprise surprise - every year but will this mean that the Macs will be refreshed yearly or will they be more spaced out. Interesting to see and if its something Apple wants to promote

 

[Dave245]

Bringing back the 12" MacBook with Apples Arm chip makes sense. I just wonder how powerful it is going to be vs something like the MacBook Air?

 

[Moonjumper]

There currently isn't a 12" Mac, and there isn't currently a 24" Mac (rumoured size for the iMac). I wonder if Apple will be matching the new sizes to a new design language now that Jony Ive has moved on?

 

[Reason077]

The first iMac powered by Apple Silicon is set to arrive in the first half of next year and will feature a desktop class "A14T" chip

So the "T" stands for... Teraflops, right?

 

[Jony Ive and Co.]

Today's report also claims that Apple has already started working on an A15 series chip using TSMC's 5nm enhanced (N5P) process. The A15 will feature in next year's "iPhone 13,"

Well of course. You are making it sound like Apple has just begun designing A15. But that's not how it works, Apple starts designing all components YEARS AHEAD, which means work on the A15 probably started ~3-4 years ago, and Apple is now working on A18 or something

 

[Dave245]

There currently isn't a 12" Mac, and there isn't currently a 24" Mac (rumoured size for the iMac). I wonder if Apple will be matching the new sizes to a new design language now that Jony Ive has moved on?

That's very possible. I wonder what other Mac's they will announce at next months event? i can't see Apple holding another event just to announce 1 new Mac. I wonder if they will also update Intel based Mac's at the same time or just stick to their own ARM based Mac's and announce a couple of them.

 

[Bonte]

This chip better be double the real-life speed for native apps. I need a new mac but I'm still on the fence.

 

[DNichter]

I'm a little surprised the Mac mini isn't going ARM early on given its lower usage in the home and industry. Sounds like a good and fairly low-impact early product for this. They have some balls to begin with laptops of all things!

I think they really want to highlight the battery life of these new machines, which obviously can't be done with the Mac mini. I'm also anticipating a redesign for marketing purposes which will show their laptop vision for the future.

 

[Lemon Mac]

I wonder if there will be a price point drop as the chips are cheaper than Intel?

Wait for the rev B model. Always.

 

[JosephAW]

Happily plugging away with my mid 2012 MBP, my next Mac will be the ARM.

 

[Serban55]

So the "T" stands for... Teraflops, right?

And z from the a12z stands for what?

 

[amartinez1660]

Can’t say I love this, as I just ordered a new iMac last night...

It’s ok, I got a 2020 27” recently. Yours will last long and it will serve its purpose for years to come, they are truly great machines. Plus you might save yourself from the potential 1st gen quirks if any.

I’ll be buying popcorns nevertheless, haven’t been excited for technology like this in a very very long time. Let alone for something that I won’t probably even buy soon.

 

[calstanford]

So the "T" stands for... Teraflops, right?

It stands for Tonga. Lifuka is an island of Tonga.

 

[dannys1]

It'll be the entry level 21" iMac.

 

[dannys1]

Can’t say I love this, as I just ordered a new iMac last night...

Was it a 21" one? Because there's no chance in hell these are replacing top end 27" iMacs until the end of the Apple Silicon upgrade path.

 

[maninhat]

I hope the new imac looks like a giant ipad pro on a stand

 

[Piggie]

Can't wait to see how these new systems perform!

I think it's fair to say they will perform amazing for the apps they have been designed to run.
That's the easy bit.

If you said to Apple or even Intel or AMD, design me a chip that's runs "Software X" at blistering speed I'm sure they could do.

It's designing a general purpose chips that could be fitted into any machine and run any software well that's the trick.

Apple does not have to do this, so they have a much easier job.
They control the rest of the hardware that does with the chip and the tools to build the software.

The key is going to be just how well new macs run general purpose software that was not specifically designed from the ground up to run on them.

 

[newyorksole]

I just LOVE iMac articles lmao.

I upgraded my 2010 iMac last year and cannot wait to sell it and have a redesigned iMac with Apple’s own silicon.

This thing is going to be awesome.

 

[coredev]

I'm a little surprised the Mac mini isn't going ARM early on given its lower usage in the home and industry. Sounds like a good and fairly low-impact early product for this. They have some balls to begin with laptops of all things!

But laptops are where the low energy impact of the A series chips comes into play most.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Give us a 32" iMac!!!

 

[warp9]

Expect to see this again for the new imac:

 

[Hypnoswan]

Can’t say I love this, as I just ordered a new iMac last night...

new intel iMac - is this referring to the 24 or 27 model I wonder

 

[Reason077]

And z from the a12z stands for what?

"zzz", 'cause it's so slow compared to the A14T.

 

[MrDerby01]

Very much excited for this! The possibilities are pretty much endless folks. Well over due to leave Intel \ AMD.

 

[Psychicbob]

I'm a little surprised the Mac mini isn't going ARM early on given its lower usage in the home and industry. Sounds like a good and fairly low-impact early product for this. They have some balls to begin with laptops of all things!

Might be because they’ve already announced a developer version of that so there would be less WOW factor with a release for it. They’d go for iMac or MacBook I think.