12-Inch MacBook Revival To Feature In-House Apple Silicon

Apple is working to bring back a beloved MacBook and turn it into the first Mac to run on the company's in-house silicon, a report citing sources in the supply chain claims.

Apple previously said that it is planning on shipping the first Mac with in-house silicon by the end of the year. Such a Mac will feature an Apple chip similar to those found on the company's higher-end devices, such as the iPad Pro, and will signal the end of the company's reliance on Intel for processors.

A new report from China Times, citing sources in the supply chain, indicates that the device is indeed coming and will be released by the end of the year.

The device is expected to be a 12-inch Retina MacBook, likely the return of the one the Cupertino tech giant discontinued last year.

Per the report, the MacBook “equipped with a 12-inch Retina Display” will run on a “self-developed and designed A14X processor.” This processor has the codename “Tonga,” supports USB Type-C and will consume less battery compared to earlier chips.

The report noted that due to the Apple A14X processor's ability to consume less battery, it will be able to prolong the new MacBook's battery life so that it can last 15 to 20 hours before needing a charge. This chip can also be expected to power future iPad Pro models.

It's worth noting that according to China Times' sources, the device is expected to weigh “less than 1 kilogram.” The weight seems too light in comparison to Apple's other devices, including the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, which weighs 1.4 kilograms, and the current MacBook Air, which is the company's lightest yet at 1.29 kilograms.

Apple GPU

The supply chain sources also indicated that Apple is working on its in-house GPU that will be used for future devices.

The Cupertino tech giant's GPU development is “progressing smoothly,” according to the insiders. This GPU, like the aforementioned A14X, is produced using TSMC's 5nm process.

Apple is expected to put both in-house CPUs and in-house GPUs in an iMac that will be released next year, the report added.

All that said, fans are advised to take the report with a grain of salt as Apple has not yet confirmed the details. Stay tuned for more updates as they come.