After redesigning nearly every product under their roof in 2012, Apple’s probably not going to be redesigning the Mac in 2013. There’s still reason to get excited about updated Mac models, though, as Apple’s sure to stuff them with great new hardware features.
If super-fast Internet speeds make your fingers tingle with anticipation, then you’ll be happy to learn that a new report claims Apple will be including a new chipset this year that will bring 802.11ac networking capabilities to the Mac.
According to The Next Web, Apple is working with Broadcom to bring the freaky-fast WiFi connectivity chips to the Mac this year. 802.11ac is usually referred to as 5G Wi-Fi, as it gives computers a faster throughput, higher capacity, broader coverage and even better battery life.
It was rumored that Apple would bring the 802.11ac chips to the Mac in 2012, but that never happened. The 802.11ac standard is currently undergoing some revisions, so Apple including it in the Mac should boost its profile as other computer manufacturers race to catch up and include it in their new PCs as well.
Although Apple and Broadcom have already struck up a deal to include the new Wi-Fi chips in the Mac this year, Broadcom hasn’t finished developing the 802.11ac chips just yet. It’s not currently known when it will be available, but the implications mean that the 5G Wi-Fi would bring much faster data syncing with iCloud, more reliable AirPlay, and better performance with AirDrop and other cloud-intensive features.
Source: TNW
