We already heard Apple secured the lion’s share of chipmaker TSMC’s 3nm chip manufacturing capacity. The latest rumor suggests the order has expanded to claim TSMC’s entire supply for the next 12 months.
According to a report from the Economic Daily News, Apple’s processor orders will occupy the full capacity of TSMC’s 3nm manufacturing capabilities. That is a significant win for the Mac and iPhone maker since TSMC’s 3nm node is more advanced than Samsung’s.
Apple’s next-generation Mac computers should feature high-performance, yet efficient M3 processors based on N3 (3nm node). The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will boast A17 Bionic chips of this type as well.
Every reduction in manufacturing size brings performance gains while using less power. The difference will be most noticeable for new Mac computers since the M2-series chips use TSMC’s N5P (performance-enhanced 5nm node) design. The iPhone 14 Pro featured a TSMC N4 design, the A16 Bionic.
TSMC’s 3nm chip design will be faster and more efficient than any other consumer technology. Apple will be the first to use these processors in products launching later this year. If the rumor is correct, Apple could also have exclusive access for the next 12 months.
This report might help allay fears that Apple could face chip shortages in 2024. The tech giant has such a robust supply chain that it sustained high production levels through most of the pandemic chip shortages.
Given the potential for significant speed gains and extended battery life, Apple’s fall event should be more interesting than ever, with powerful new Macs and iPhones. A new iMac, 13-inch MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro are expected.
This allocation could come with price increases, though. As analyst Ming-Chi Kuo points out, Apple will be purchasing TSMC’s latest finished node. The company, according to the analyst, loops the price of defective chips into the cost of finished wafers, causing the price of new processors to steadily go up. The analyst predicts this year’s A17 (and likely the M3) will continue this trend.
Google just dropped its latest AI model, Gemini 4 Carbon, designed to tackle complex coding jobs and cybersecurity threats. The company claims it can work through difficult engineering problems for days, finding hidden bugs and developing fixes across large codebases.
Gemini 4 Carbon also takes the top spot on Artificial Analysis' updated Intelligence Index, scoring 59 points, pushing out Claude Opus 5.5, OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra, and even its own predecessor Gemini 4 Argon.
Apple has just introduced a redesigned MacBook Pro with a few bells and whistles. The focus this time around is on a thinner and lighter build, and an upgrade to a touch-sensitive OLED screen without any ugly notch. And, in case you were wondering, there is definitely a price premium to pay for these niceties, which also include a glowing Apple logo at the back. What if you wanted to get the best that Apple has to offer? Well, the numbers are finally here.
For a mere $14,549, you can get yourself the fully kitted 16-inch MacBook Pro PROLED XDR with the beefiest laptop chip that Apple has to offer, and the best memory configuration in tow. For nearly $15,000, you treat yourself to the 16-inch version of the laptop with a nano-texture glass layer on the screen to reduce reflections and glare.
Apple has unveiled its first-ever touchscreen MacBook Pro. The company seems a bit confused about the naming, calling it the "MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display," which is tough to remember. If you look past that and review the full spec sheets, you might ask a genuine question: what are the differences between the touchscreen and non-touchscreen versions?
Given that Apple continues to sell both variants together, that's a genuine question. Luckily, you don't have to spend more time lining up the spec sheets side by side and hunting for differences hidden in the fine print. I took that bullet for you. Here's everything that's different between the PROLED XDR Display and the regular MacBook Pro.