Apple's successor to last year's M1 chipset — the M2 — appears to be well into the production process. The second-generation silicon is expected to be even more powerful than its predecessor, which is a mighty big feat considering just how impressive the M1 still is.
In November 2020, Apple released its debut Mac products running the M1 — Apple's first in-house Mac chip. Rather than relying on Intel, AMD, and other companies to create various components for its computers, Apple took things into its own hands with M1. Not only does this give Apple greater control over the Mac's production, but since M1 is an Arm-based chip, it's also considerably faster, smaller, and more efficient than any previous Mac processors. M1 quickly proved to be one of the fastest computer chips on the market, but even so, Apple is already well underway with its successor.
According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Apple's M2 chip has now entered mass production. Apple reportedly expects shipments to begin at some point in July, with M2 initially being used in MacBook products that'll be released in the second half of 2021. M2 is being built with a 5-nanometer plus design, which is expected to deliver even greater performance and power efficiency than the standard 5-nanometer design of M1.
Apple Products Expected To Get The M2 Chip
As Nikkei Asia says, the first M2-powered devices will be new MacBooks. Rumor has it that Apple is working on two new MacBook Pro models for 2021, including a revamped 16-inch one and an all-new 14-inch option. That news isn't all that surprising, but the report goes on to note that "sources said it [M2] will eventually be used in other Mac and Apple devices beyond the MacBook." This is where things could get really interesting.
Apple recently announced a redesigned 24-inch iMac powered by the M1, but as it currently stands, the 27-inch iMac hasn't been touched since 2019. It's expected Apple will replace it at some point this year, making it a possible contender for the upcoming M2. Apple may not want to have one iMac with M1 and another with M2, but it will be worth keeping an eye out for. There are also rumors of a thinner/lighter MacBook Air launching in either 2021 or 2022, with that being another possible device for the M2 chip.
As for non-Mac products, M1 recently made its way to the iPad with the 2021 variant of the iPad Pro. Assuming Apple releases another generation of iPad Pro in 2022, M2 will likely make an appearance there as well. It isn't easy to speculate too far out into the future, but what is clear is that M2 is coming, it'll be here soon, and Apple should have a couple of new Macs to show off its horsepower.
Source: Nikkei Asia