Apple’s intelligence servers, which are currently powered by the M2 Ultra chip, are expected to transition to M4 series chips by next year. But now, in a major step to accelerate its AI efforts, Apple is said to be working on producing a next-generation server chip — for even more AI performance. It will have several instances of Apple Neural Engine, which is for processing better AI stuff, so it’s a suitable application for performing high-performance AI calculations.
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Apple Intelligence Servers Set for Next-Gen, Turbocharged AI Chip Upgrade in 2026
At least three companies are apparently working on this new server chip, as recent reports reveal. While Apple is responsible for the chip’s overall design, Broadcom is supplying some networking tech — which seems to indicate network capabilities will be a primary selling point of the chip.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which is famed for its bleeding-edge semiconductor manufacturing techniques, will mass produce the new chip starting in 2026. Using TSMC’s third-generation 3nm tech (N3P), the chip will also be used for A19 chips destined for next year’s iPhone 17 models.
The new server chip will likely support a variety of features for Apple Intelligence, like those that use server-side generation for features like Image Playground. It is also rumored that Apple is readying new version releases for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 down the line, featuring various new Apple Intelligence releases such as Genmoji, Image Playground, Image Wand, and ChatGPT Siri integration.
Moreover, a new Visual Intelligence feature that comes with iPhone 16 models will enable users to quickly identify real-world objects and things by simply using the Camera Control button.
With these ongoing changes, Siri will likely become even more chatty as Apple ramps up its AI capabilities. With the release of iOS 18.4, users of Siri will notice increased on-screen comprehension and deeper per-application management, and by iOS 19.4, expected in 2026, Siri will show you a much more dynamic human interaction, much like ChatGPT.
FAQs
What is the new chip for Apple Intelligence servers?
It’s a custom-designed chip by Apple, expected to enhance AI processing and server performance.
When will the new server chip be available?
The chip is expected to begin mass production in 2026, using TSMC’s N3P 3nm process.
