New Apple M4 chips tipped for this year and they're going to focus on AI capabilities

Apple might have only released its first Macs powered by the M3 chips a few months ago but a new report claims that it is already working towards making the first M4-powered Macs available, too. The report claims that the first Macs with M4 chips are just around the corner with the latest iteration on Apple silicon nearing production.

The report, which comes via Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, claims that the new chip will come in three varieties - likely M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max - and will eventually find its way into every model of Mac that Apple sells. However, the source of the information isn't clear with Gurman keeping their identity secret for obvious reasons.

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According to the report Apple plans to release the new Macs beginning later this year before continuing the rollout into 2025. There will be new iMacs and a low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro as well as a high-end 14-inch MacBook Pro to go with an equally powerful 16-inch model. New Mac minis are also expected, all powered by Apple's new M4 trio of chips. Gurman does note that Apple's plans could change, however. Given recent delays associated with the OLED iPad Pro launch, it's entirely possible that could happen.

Moving into 2025, Apple is then expected to launch more M4 Macs in the form of an updated 13-inch MacBook Air as well as a larger 15-inch version of the same laptop. A new Mac Studio and finally a refreshed Mac Pro will all reportedly arrive before the end of next year.

Notably, the report also says that the Mac Pro will gain a new Hidra chip that is designed to give the new machine additional capabilities after a lackluster response to the current model. It's also thought that Apple intends to offer its highest-spec Macs with up to 512GB of RAM whereas the ceiling is currently just 192GB.

While Gurman does hint that a focus on AI is to be expected, it isn't yet clear what that will actually mean. However, it seems likely that the M4 chips will have components that are specifically designed to make on-device AI features more performance than ever before.

Apple was already expected to make AI a big focus this year. The WWDC event that will kick off on June 10 is set to see iOS 18 and macOS 15 debut, with both updates thought to have new AI-powered features at their core. Details on what those features will actually be, however, are yet to be confirmed.