Apple plans financial gains with with AI-centric in-house processors

In an effort to boost its declining computer sales, Apple is planning a major overhaul of its Mac line with new AI-centric in-house processors. Starting with the M3 chips five months ago, Apple is now focusing on its next-gen M4 processor.

This overhaul comes at a crucial juncture when Mac sales have witnessed a 27% dip last fiscal year and an unimpressive holiday season. Undeterred, Apple looks to reinvigorate the Mac business, even as the previous M3 chips didn't bring the expected performance enhancements over the preceding M2.

Against a backdrop where tech leaders like Microsoft and Google are advancing in Artificial Intelligence, Apple is gearing to add AI features across its suite of products. This includes a plan to unveil a range of features at its June developer conference, an initiative aimed at ensuring these features run on the devices themselves instead of remote servers. This necessitates speedier chips, hence the development of the M4 processor.

This transition to in-house chip production aligns with Apple's long-term strategy, famously known as Apple Silicon. The tech behemoth's goal is to have a unified hardware-software ecosystem, which began with their self-made semiconductors for the iPad and iPhone 4 in 2010. This was extended to the Mac in 2020, moving away from Intel processors. 

The move has enhanced performance and simplified device redesign, as seen in the recent MacBook Air, iMac and MacBook Pro. 

The Mac chips, much like iPhone and iPad processors, are based on the Arm Holdings Plc architecture, enabling sleeker products with improved battery life and reduced cooling requirements.

- CyberBeat