Apple's next-gen M4 processor family tipped to deliver AI focus

Mark Tyson
·2 min read
Apple M4 on the way.
Apple M4 on the way.

The next generation of Apple Silicon is already nearing production, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The Apple-centric reporter was told by insiders that three distinct Apple M4 processors have been prepared. Interestingly, the new silicon is designed to revamp the Mac computer line with a new AI focus – addressing an IT industry trend where Apple is clearly lagging.

Gurman explains that Mac computers haven’t enjoyed the most buoyant sales in recent months. Machine sales saw a 27% drop in sales during the last fiscal year, and the tepid critical response to the new M3 computers was a sign that the move from M2 to M3 wasn’t enough to entice customers to part with their hard-earned cash.

With the IT industry riding waves of enthusiasm for all things AI, even if consumers are yet to be convinced of its on-device merits, Apple probably hopes that adding an AI focus to its M4 processors / marketing will help provide an uplift.

Donan, Brava, and Hidra

The Bloomberg report highlights three Apple M4 chip codenames, but we don’t have much in the way of hard specs, sadly. Gurman’s sources say that the entry-level M4 chip will be codenamed Donan. A more powerful SoC named Brava will address the mid-range market. Meanwhile, the Apple M4 Hidra will be the top-end SoC of the next generation. These three products look set to fill the roles of the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max, perhaps.

So, Donan, Brava, and Hidra will undoubtedly deliver a step up in performance vs their M3 brethren, but we have no idea how much better they will be. With the AI-focus, you might expect a lot more dedicated processing to accelerate AI. However, Apple already introduced a “powerful” 16-core Neural Engine offering 18 TOPS with the M3 range (60% faster than M1 chips could manage). Few people may be using that built-in processing on the Mac day-to-day right now, though, and the M4’s presumably strengthened Neural Engine should have more to do if the insider-based info from Bloomberg is correct.

Apple M4 on the way
Apple M4 on the way

Whether more AI processing power (and marketing) can make a difference to the deceleration of Mac sales remains to be seen. Gurman says that the M4 chips will permeate the full Mac lineup from “new iMacs, a low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and Mac minis.” Though, this is no surprise. Hopefully, more direction and compelling AI application planning will be evident during the Apple WWDC, which kicks off on June 10.

Whatever happens, Apple’s competitors haven’t let their foot off the AI acceleration pedal for months. We also have exciting new chips like “100+ TOPS” Lunar Lake and the “breakthrough” Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite to look forward to later this year.