Apple M4 chip is about to debut, expected to assist TSMC's 3-nanometer revenue
Seizing the AI PC business opportunity, Apple's new iPad Pro, expected to debut on the 7th, is the first to be equipped with its self-developed M4 chip, and has taken advantage of the strong presence of the M4 chip to transform the entire Mac series. The first batch of M4 Macs are expected to be launched gradually from the end of this year to early next year; It is reported that the Apple M4 adopts TSMC's N3E process, which is expected to assist TSMC's operations with Apple's plan to significantly upgrade Mac performance.
Apple held an online launch event at 10pm on the evening of the 7th in Taiwan. The legal representative predicted that in addition to launching accessories such as iPad Pro, iPad Air, and Apple Pencil, the M4 self-developed chip will make its debut at the event, revealing the computing capabilities of Apple's first artificial intelligence (AI) tablet.
As major computer brands and chip manufacturers compete to launch AI PCs, such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus, and Intel's introduction of various brands of laptops with Core Ultra, it is imperative for Apple to upgrade its product performance. The strategy of highlighting AI performance through M4 chips is not surprising.
Foreign Power pointed out that the M4 chip will cover the entire Mac product line, and the first batch of M4 Macs will debut at the end of this year, including the new iMac, standard 14 inch MacBook Pro, advanced 14 inch, 16 inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. New products will also be launched gradually in 2025, such as updating the 13 and 15 inch MacBook Air in the spring, updating Mac Studio in the middle of the year, and finally updating Mac Pro.
It is understood that there will be three versions of M4, namely the entry-level Donnan, enhanced Brava, and advanced Hidra. Donnan is used for entry-level MacBook Pro, MacBook Air series, and low-end Mac mini. The high-end MacBook Pro and Mac mini are expected to use the Brava version, while the desktop Mac Pro will be equipped with the Hidra version.
Apple plans to introduce M4 for the Mac series, which is expected to help boost TSMC's revenue for the 3-nanometer family. It is understood that the M4 chip still adopts TSMC's 3-nanometer process, but enhances the neural network engine (NPU) to give Apple's product line AI functionality; And the relevant supply chain revealed that the M4 adopts TSMC's N3E process, which is still an improvement compared to the N3B used in the previous M3 series chips.
Meanwhile, TSMC continues to promote optimized versions of existing advanced process nodes. Among them, the N3E of the 3-nanometer family was mass-produced in the fourth quarter of last year, followed by the N3P and N3X. Currently, the N3E is highly likely to be launched by the new generation iPad Pro; With the surge in demand for AI and the accelerated growth of demand for energy-efficient computing, the revenue share of the 3-nanometer family will continue to increase.
As major computer brands and chip manufacturers compete to launch AI PCs, such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus, and Intel's introduction of various brands of laptops with Core Ultra, it is imperative for Apple to upgrade its product performance. The strategy of highlighting AI performance through M4 chips is not surprising.
Foreign Power pointed out that the M4 chip will cover the entire Mac product line, and the first batch of M4 Macs will debut at the end of this year, including the new iMac, standard 14 inch MacBook Pro, advanced 14 inch, 16 inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. New products will also be launched gradually in 2025, such as updating the 13 and 15 inch MacBook Air in the spring, updating Mac Studio in the middle of the year, and finally updating Mac Pro.
It is understood that there will be three versions of M4, namely the entry-level Donnan, enhanced Brava, and advanced Hidra. Donnan is used for entry-level MacBook Pro, MacBook Air series, and low-end Mac mini. The high-end MacBook Pro and Mac mini are expected to use the Brava version, while the desktop Mac Pro will be equipped with the Hidra version.
Apple plans to introduce M4 for the Mac series, which is expected to help boost TSMC's revenue for the 3-nanometer family. It is understood that the M4 chip still adopts TSMC's 3-nanometer process, but enhances the neural network engine (NPU) to give Apple's product line AI functionality; And the relevant supply chain revealed that the M4 adopts TSMC's N3E process, which is still an improvement compared to the N3B used in the previous M3 series chips.
Meanwhile, TSMC continues to promote optimized versions of existing advanced process nodes. Among them, the N3E of the 3-nanometer family was mass-produced in the fourth quarter of last year, followed by the N3P and N3X. Currently, the N3E is highly likely to be launched by the new generation iPad Pro; With the surge in demand for AI and the accelerated growth of demand for energy-efficient computing, the revenue share of the 3-nanometer family will continue to increase.