This aggressive update schedule is a significant departure for Apple, as the wait between the M1 and M2, and the M2 and M3, was each about a year and a half. The rapid introduction of the M4 suggests that either the M3 processor generation will be unusually short, or Apple plans to sell a mix of M3 and M4 devices this year. The exact differences between the M3 and M4 will need to be determined through hardware testing.
Key takeaways:
- Apple has announced a new M4 processor for the iPad Pro, just six months after releasing the first MacBook Pros with the M3 and two months after updating the MacBook Air with the M3.
- The M4 includes "up to" four high-performance CPU cores, six high-efficiency cores, and a 10-core GPU, with 50 percent faster CPU performance and four times as much graphics performance.
- The M4 also has an AI focus, with a beefed-up 16-core Neural Engine that runs up to 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS), a significant increase from the M3's 18 TOPS.
- The rapid introduction of the M4 suggests that either the M3 processor generation will be uncommonly short, or Apple plans to sell a mix of M3 and M4 devices this year.