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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) will focus the next version of its M-family of chips on artificial intelligence in an effort to boost Mac sales, Bloomberg reported.
The next version of the M-series of chips, said to be known as the M4, will come in three varieties, the news outlet reported. The M4 is already nearing production and will eventually be put into every Mac, with announcements to come as soon as this year.
As part of the refresh, Apple will give new iMacs, the low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, the high-end MacBook Pro and Mac minis the new M4 chips. Additional M4 Macs could some in 2025, including new MacBook Airs, Mac Studio and Mac Pro.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha.
Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple showed off the previous version of the M-series, the M3, in October, along with new versions of the MacBook Pro and an updated version of the iMac.
Apple updated the MacBook Air with the M3 chips last month and highlighted the AI capabilities of the new notebook. “And with a faster and more efficient Neural Engine in M3, MacBook Air continues to be the world’s best consumer laptop for AI,” Apple said in the release.
The expected refresh comes at a time when Mac sales have struggled. Mac revenue for December-ended quarter grew just 0.6% year-over-year to $7.78B.
However, sales may have turned a corner in the most recent period, as research firm IDC said Apple shipped 4.8M units during the first quarter, up 14.6% year-over-year. It held 8.1% of the global PC market as of the end of the period — up from 7.1% in the year-ago period, IDC added.
Apple is slated to hold its annual developer conference in June, where the tech giant is expected to focus on a number of AI-related initiatives.