Apple Working On Macs Running On In-House Processors, Report Says

Apple's Macs and MacBooks currently run on processors the company sources from chip maker Intel. A new report from Bloomberg, however, reveals that the Cupertino tech giant is already working on its own chips for use on Macs and MacBooks. One such device running on an in-house processor might even be released as early as next year.

Sources speaking to Bloomberg claimed that Apple is working on three new system-on-chips for use on Macs. These chips are based on the next-generation SoC that will be used on this year's upcoming iPhones (believed to be the A14). Apple has given its in-house chip-making project “Kalamata.” The project has been going on for years now, the report said.

The sources, which Bloomberg described as “people familiar with the matter,” claim that the company will release at least one Mac with an Apple-developed SoC next year. This chip, the first of the three, will be “much faster than the processors in the iPhone and iPad,” the sources said.

People who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Bloomberg that the chips will be manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). The chips will be produced using the 5nm process, which is the same process being used for the new A14 Bionic.

Apple's new processors will have at least 12 cores total. The first of these will have eight high-performance cores the company calls “Firestorm,” as well as a minimum of four energy-efficient cores codenamed “Icestorm.” The sources said Cupertino is looking to develop processors with more than 12 cores in the future.

The first Mac processor, which will include both CPUs and GPUs, will definitely be more powerful than the one powering the new iPad Pro, The Verge noted. Apple's new tablet uses the A12Z chip, which has a total of eight cores: four high-performance cores and four energy-efficient cores.

Bloomberg, however, speculates that the first Mac to feature an Apple-made processor will be a lower-powered MacBook. This is because the company's new processor still won't be powerful enough to match Intel's silicon in high-end MacBooks Pros, Mac Pros and iMac Pros. Nevertheless, this move indicates Apple's plans to move Macs away from Intel chips.