On April 12th, it was reported that Apple is speeding up the development of the M4 chip series, which will focus on AI capabilities.
According to renowned analyst Mark Gurman, Apple plans to release several Mac models equipped with the M4 chip by the end of this year or early next year. These models include the all-new iMac, entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the Mac mini.
Gurman stated that the M4 chip will come in three versions, ranging from entry-level to mid-to-high-end. The entry-level version is codenamed Donan, the mid-range chip is codenamed Brava, and the high-end version is codenamed Hidra.
Boosted by this news, Apple's stock price surged over 4% on Thursday, closing up 4.3%, marking the largest single-day gain since May 5, 2023—a 4.69% increase that day—to $175.04 per share, with the market value increasing by $112 billion in a single day.
It is understood that the M4 chip will be built using the same 3nm process as the M3 chip, but TSMC is expected to use an upgraded version of the 3nm process, further enhancing performance and energy efficiency.
Additionally, the M4 chip will feature an upgraded neural network engine, with a significantly increased number of computing cores compared to the previous generation, enabling it to perform more complex AI computations.
It is reported that AI will be the next focal point for PCs, with other Windows manufacturers also developing AI PCs one after another.
