The now usual weekly newsletter fromMark Gurman,Power On, allows us to learn a little more about what Apple apparently seems to be preparing with its next collection of computer chips. The journalist, whose sources are kept secret, would receive confidential information from indiscreet employees of the Apple firm or some of its subcontractors.
Of course, these clues should be taken with a pinch of salt: nothing says that Apple hasn't disseminated a few lies here and there to pinpoint the origin of the leaks. But so far, Gurman has proven to be pretty reliable, seeing right almost nine times out of ten. So let’s take stock of its latest announcements.
The technical characteristics of the M3 chip
According to Mark Gurman therefore, the brand new M3 chip which could soon arrive would have been spotted thanks to tests where its manufacturer would have put it to the test by running third-party apps. However, the platforms in question are not known at the moment, and no images of the associated benchmarks have been published, but it is a developer working on one of them who is said to have spilled the beans.
Here is the supposed datasheet of the M3 chip:
- processor (CPU): twelve cores, including six dedicated to everyday tasks and six for the most demanding operations
- graphics card (GPU): eighteen cores
- random access memory (RAM): thirty-six gigabytes
For which Macs?
Still according to Mark Gurman, the machine which would have started to experience this version is aMacBook Prorunning under macOS 14. A version of the operating system which has not yet been released, but which should see the light of day at the Worldwide Developer Conference. The event takes place next month in California, and kicks off with a keynote onJune 5.
Moreover, Gurman assumes that the M3 chip will also arrive onl’iMac, all-in-one desktop computer and emblematic of the Apple firm. Its design, originally designed by Jony Ive, was revisited in 2021 but without a successor since. With this, Apple could integrate versions of the M3 processor into two MacBook Pros, probably 14 and 16 inches, renewing thecurrent models. Finally, severalMacBook Airwould also be entitled to it, with a 15-inch edition mentioned in the press previously.
Potential release date
The M3 chip has every chance of being announced, precisely, during theWWDC. The manufacturer could then present the equipped computers at the same time, but their release, for its part, could require patience. It is indeed likely that consumers will have to wait until the month ofseptember, date on which the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will surely be presented.
Pre-orders could, however, be available online, on the Apple Store website, a little before. In general, Apple publishes them with a delay of seven days before the packages are received by the first customers. But, at the discretion of third-party carriers, the precious tickets can sometimes arrive a little earlier.
