TSMC has produced every iPhone processor for several years, and is reportedly going to continue to be Apple’s sole source for chips.
Apple generally prefers to get components from multiple sources, but apparently no company — not even Samsung or Intel — can compete with TSMC. That makes the two companies very dependent on each other.
A refresh is overdue for Apple’s 12-inch MacBook lineup, and it looks like it could be arriving soon.
Availability of the machine has dwindled at one major retailer, which suggests new models — complete with upgraded internals — will arrive this fall. It could be one of a number of Apple machines that will see improvements before the end of the year.
One of Apple’s manufacturing partners will enjoy a significant boost in the fourth quarter of 2018 as a result of the company’s new, “inexpensive notebooks.”
Quanta Computer has just been overtaken by Compal as the world’s top laptop manufacturer, but it will catch up this year as Apple prepares to deliver what will likely be a new MacBook Air.
This week on The CultCast: The journey to a trillion! How did Apple become the most valuable company on earth? We discuss, and remember the company’s troubled history. Plus: Is the i9 MacBook Pro a total ripoff? One YouTube reviewer says yes, and his tests are convincing. We’ll fill you in. And stay tuned for the sad decline of MoviePass. Is the troubled movie service still worth it?
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.
After waiting years, Apple is reportedly given up on using some of Intel’s long-delayed processors in the budget MacBook expected this fall. Instead, the device will include chips that debuted last year.
Problems like this could be one of the reasons Apple is supposedly going to move macOS onto its own ARM-based processors and away from Intel.
Apple’s new MacBook Pro lineup has a lot of improvements under the hood that you might have missed. One of those is an upgraded Thunderbolt 3 controller from Intel.
Both the 13- and 15-inch models pack a new “Titan Ridge” chip, but unfortunately for some users, there are big limitations. Don’t rush out to blow your savings on an 8K monitor just yet.
If you’re coughing up crazy amounts of cash for a new MacBook Pro with Intel’s latest Core i9 processor, there’s something you should be aware of.
Early tests have revealed that the chip suffers severe thermal throttling under heavy loads, which dramatically reduces its clock speed and performance.
Cheaper models with Core i5 and Core i7 chips don’t seem to have the same problem.
Apple’s new MacBook Pro offers buyers significantly improved performance at the same price as last year’s models, as well as a “quieter,” improved butterfly keyboard and a True Tone display. But is it worth the upgrade?
Early reviews of the 2018 update are out now. Here’s what they say about Apple’s fastest and most impressive laptop yet.
This week on The CultCast: It’s the best update in years. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Apple’s very powerful new MacBook Pros. Plus: New Mac minis are on the way; Ming-Chi Kuo confirms Apple’s about to update its entire product line; how coke heads use Apple Watch to maximize their high. Finally, we talk killer whale attacks, port wines and the story of Saturday Night Live’s world-renowned sax player on an all-new What We’re Into.
Apple appears to be planning to put WiGig in future iPhones. This a version of Wi-Fi that’s more than five times faster than 802.11ac.
An Intel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modem has reportedly been turned down by Apple because it lacked WiGig. This certainly implies that the iPhone maker will go looking for a modem that does include this feature.
Editor’s Note: The original source of this information has retracted it. While Apple has apparently decided to not use Sunny Peak chips, they do not included 5G support. This means Intel could still produce 5G modems for Apple.
Intel has reportedly halted development of its new 5G mobile modem after Apple decided not to place orders for future iPhones.
Intel had hoped to secure a partnership with Apple to supply “Sunny Peak” chips for its 2020 iPhone lineup, but according to internal communications and “people familiar with the matter,” Apple has decided to shop elsewhere.
Apple is apparently planning to upgrade the MacBook Pro line to the latest generation of Intel processors. Benchmarks for a macOS laptop running a “Coffee Lake” chip showed up on Geekbench.
The eight-generation Core i7-8559U CPU in this device has a base frequency of 2.7GHz, but a maximum turbo speed of 4.5GHz. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, and was built with a 14nm process.
Apple is considering a new iPhone modem supplier as it looks to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm.
The company is yet to decide whether it will add MediaTek to its supply chain for its next-generation iPhone lineup. But Apple is keen to limit its dealings with Qualcomm after a recent legal spat in which the latter attempted to ban iPhone imports into the United States.
The iPhone might be about to get some fresh competition from Apple’s oldest rival in the tech scene.
Microsoft has reportedly been working on a mysterious new Surface device codenamed Andromeda. The device has supposedly been in development for the last two years and features a dual-display design that can fold to fit into your pocket.
Intel has reportedly started production of the new faster XMM 7560 modem chips for Apple’s 2018 iPhones, marking the first time Intel has manufactured modem chips in-house for Apple.
While Intel has supplied Apple with modem chips for the past couple of years, previously it has outsourced production to TSMC.
Apple is quietly poaching researchers and engineers from Intel for a new engineering lab in Washington County, Oregon.
A new report claims Apple is also “raiding” other Oregon firms, further fueling rumors that it could be developing its very own chips for the Mac.
A job post shows Apple is hiring an engineer to lead a team designing 5G modems. This may be mean that the company is going to stop outsourcing these wireless chips.
Apple currently sources its LTE modems from Qualcomm, but there have been reports that it’s working with Intel on next-generation modems. Maybe the iPhone maker decided to kick Intel to the curb too.
Intel plans to offload virus scanning to improve the performance of its processors.
It will allow antivirus programs to use its integrated graphics chipsets when scanning for attacks, which will reduce processor and power consumption on some machines. It could mean that you’ll get more use out of your MacBook in between charges.
The next Mac you buy may not have Intel inside.
Apple is pushing forward with plans to ditch Intel’s processors in favor of its own chips, according to a new report that claims the transition away from Intel CPUs will likely take multiple steps.
Intel has redesigned its processors to help eliminate the Meltdown and Spectre flaws once and for all.
Its eighth-generation Core and Xeon chips use protection through partitioning, along with the latest software patches, to kill all three variants of the bug. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich warns, however, that “there is still work to do” to ensure users stay protected.
Intel has completed its Spectre fixes for its latest range of processors.
Patches for Skylake, Kaby Lake, and Coffee Lake chipsets are now available to computer and motherboard manufacturers. Apple has already rolled out macOS and OS X updates to fix the problem.
This year’s iPhone lineup will rely exclusively on Intel modems, according to one reliable analyst. Apple previously bought modems from Qualcomm, but it seems Cupertino is shunning the chipmaker in light of a series of recent lawsuits.
Apple is said to be planning “at least three” new Macs with custom security co-processors for 2018. Two of the machines will be updated MacBooks, while the other will be a desktop, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Intel has confirmed that fixes for the widespread Spectre bug can cause unwanted reboots on many PCs. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the company has also revealed that its latest chips — including the Kaby Lake line launched in 2017 — are also susceptible to the bug.
Apple has been named in a class-action lawsuit alongside AMD and Intel. The case filed in Israel, one of many expected to hit major chip manufacturers, comes after the discovery of the Meltdown and Spectre bugs that leave billions of users at risk.
