| Cult of Mac

The Mac Pro we all want is 6 years away — at least

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Mac Pro with Pro Display XDR
The Mac Pro with Pro Display XDR
Photo: Apple

An anonymous tipster has bad news for the Mac Pro: Apple apparently has no plans to keep working on the scrapped chip that would have doubled the machine’s power. Development on Apple silicon is reportedly set all the way through the M5 generation.

There’s a beacon of hope, though. Multi-die packaging — technology being developed that could see the light of day around the M8 chip — eventually might give the Mac Pro the power it deserves. However, at Apple’s current pace, that’s at least six years away.

Today in Apple history: Apple chooses Intel over PowerPC

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intel
The transition to Intel was a big achievement for Steve Jobs.
Photo: Thomas Hawk/Flickr CC

June 6: Today in Apple history: Apple switches Mac to Intel chips from PowerPC June 6, 2005: Steve Jobs reveals that Apple will switch the Mac from PowerPC processors to Intel.

Speaking at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Jobs’ revelation reminds the tech world that he is a leader who can get things done. Given Intel’s focus on mobile computing, the move also offers a hint at what Apple’s CEO has planned for the second half of his reign.

Apple’s next-gen M3 Pro chip could pack even more CPU and GPU cores

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Apple M3 processor
The wait for the Apple M3 processor could be shorter than expected.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly began internal testing of Macs powered by next-generation M3 chips. At least one of the variants could feature a 12-core CPU, an 18-core GPU and 36GB of system memory.

The next-generation Apple silicon remains a few months away from release, however. Rumors suggest it could debut at the end of this year or early 2024.

How far can you get on Apple silicon without Rosetta?

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Grid of Apple app icons
How far can you get without Rosetta 2?
Image: Apple

Is it possible to get work done on an Apple silicon Mac without ever installing Rosetta 2, the compatibility layer for running old Intel apps? In short, yes.

After buying my first Apple silicon Mac earlier this year, I was curious if I could get settled into my new computer without Rosetta. And I was successful. I’ve been writing articles, making videos and recording podcasts for more than a month, and I haven’t yet come across a mission-critical app that’s Intel-exclusive.

Correction: Linux will not run on Apple silicon

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NOT the year of Linux on the Mac.
Linux on the desktop has been foiled once again.
Image: PantheraLeo/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Last week, I wrote a story incorrectly concluding that a full Linux desktop environment would soon run on Macs with Apple silicon. This was a misunderstanding of the facts.

While some of the work in the Asahi Linux project has been worked into Linux Kernel 6.2, and while Linux 6.2 will be adopted by the next major versions of Ubuntu and Fedora, this does not mean that Apple silicon Macs will be able to boot into these desktop environments.

Apple remains committed to completely dumping Intel chips

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Why the Mac Pro might lack upgradable RAM and eGPUs
The 2023 Mac Pro won't be simply the 2019 model with an M-series processor. But it is expected soon.
Image: Cult of Mac

A high-level Apple executive says an upgraded Mac Pro is on the way, even if he did so in a backhanded way.

The company’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing said in an interview that his company has “a clear goal to transition fully to Apple silicon.” That’s an oblique reference to the Mac Pro, the only macOS computer still running an Intel processor. A replacement with an Apple M-series chip could be out in mere weeks.

Apple execs reveal what went wrong with Intel

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Vice President of Platform Architecture and Hardware Technologies at Apple, Tim Millet, standing in the Apple chip lab.
Tim Millet, Apple's vice president of platform architecture and hardware technologies, introduces the new MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.
Photo: Apple

What pulled Apple away from Intel? In a new interview, Apple executives Tim Millet and Bob Borchers reveal why the company shifted to making its own Mac chips.

Plus, they shed light on what they’re doing to make the Mac a gaming platform once again, how the Apple silicon architecture can make it happen, and when the best time is to buy a new Mac.

Apple silicon Mac Pro might not feature user-upgradeable RAM

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Side look at 2019 Intel Mac pro
The upcoming Mac Pro could look like this.
Photo: Unsplash

Contrary to rumors, the upcoming Apple silicon Mac Pro might disappoint many in the design department. A new report suggests the forthcoming Mac Pro refresh will have the same design as the 2019 Intel-based model.

The Apple silicon Mac Pro is widely expected to launch later this year. It would stand out in the Mac lineup by offering a certain degree of user upgradability but come with non-upgradeable system memory.

Production of 3nm processors finally starts at Apple’s chipmaker

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Apple might get cutting-edge 3nm processors in 2022
Apple will reportedly be one of the first companies in the world able to offer processors made with a 3nm process.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

3 nanometer chip production is about to begin at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. This is important news for Apple, as TSMC makes the CPUs for Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc.

Apple is expected to use 3nm processors in products launching in 2023, making the devices faster and more efficient.