Apple is increasing its testing of new Macs with processors that are comparable to the current M2 chip, as the company aims to reverse a decline in sales. Developer logs shared with Bloomberg News indicate that Apple is testing the compatibility of these machines with third-party apps from the App Store, which is a crucial step in the lead-up to the release of a new device.
The California based tech giant is hoping that the new machines will attract buyers after experiencing its worst Mac sales decline since the dot-com bust in 2000. IDC reported a decline of over 40 percent in shipments during the first quarter, causing the Mac to underperform even in an industry facing a significant downturn. Although Apple had previously indicated that the quarter would be challenging, its official results for the period will not be available until May 4.
Amidst this challenging environment, the new Macs are highly anticipated. The test logs suggest that Apple is preparing to launch a laptop that features a larger, higher-resolution display and processors similar to current models. This laptop is expected to be the 15-inch MacBook Air, which Apple has reportedly been planning to release this year.
The technology company declined to comment on the matter when contacted by reporters. As per the logs, the new laptop features a chip with eight main processing cores and ten graphics cores, which is on par with the current M2 chip. Additionally, the computer has 8 gigabytes of memory, consistent with the existing MacBook Air.
Similar to the current M2 chip, the new laptop’s CPU is divided into four high-performance cores and four efficiency cores. The Macs undergoing testing are operating on macOS 14, which is expected to be announced by Apple at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5th.
The laptop being tested, which goes by the code name “Mac 15,3,” has a screen resolution that matches the 14-inch high-end MacBook Pro. As a result, the larger MacBook Air would operate at the same resolution as the MacBook Pro, albeit with slightly lower sharpness. This strategy aligns with Apple’s past approach of distinguishing between its consumer and professional-oriented laptops.
Apple is set to make significant changes to the Mac lineup with the upcoming release of the M3 chip, which will utilize a 3-nanometer production process, an improvement over the current 5-nanometer standard. This new chip technology, which is being manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., will result in enhanced performance and greater efficiency. Similar chip technology will also be used in this year’s new iPhones.
In addition to the larger MacBook Air, Apple is also working on updates to the 13-inch Air model, the 24-inch iMac, and the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro. The development of the first Mac Pro utilizing the company’s homegrown chips, known as Apple Silicon, has experienced delays and changes in specifications.
According to the developer logs, Apple plans to launch higher-end versions of the M3 chip in the refreshed 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros in the first half of 2024. The names of the company’s first high-end M1 chips and details on M2 Macs and Mac Pro testing were accurately reported in previous developer logs.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
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