It is reported that Apple is planning to produce the next generation M4 chip and is preparing to use this chip to update every Mac model.。

It is understood that there will be at least three versions of the M4 chip. The chip series will include an entry-level version codenamed Donnan, an enhanced version codenamed Brava, and a high-end version codenamed Hidra.

The Donan chip may be installed on entry-level MacBook Pro, new MacBook Air, and low-end Mac mini, while the Brava chip may run on high-end MacBook Pro and advanced versions of Mac mini. For Mac Studio, Apple is testing versions of the M3 chip and M4 Brava chip variants that have not yet been released.

The most high-end Apple desktop computer, Mac Pro, will be equipped with a Hidra chip. Previously, some loyal fans of Mac Pro complained about the specifications of the internal chips of the computer, so Apple plans to enhance the performance of the machine next year.

Additionally, as part of the upgrade, Apple is considering allowing its most high-end Mac desktop to support up to 0.5 TB of memory. The current maximum capacity of Mac Studio and Mac Pro is 192 GB, far lower than the capacity of Mac Pro when Apple used Intel chips before. For early devices, it can be expanded to up to 1.5 TB later on based on existing memory. After switching to Apple's self-developed chips, the memory is more deeply integrated into the main processor, making it more difficult to add memory.

The new generation of chips is expected to be launched at Apple's annual developer conference in June this year. According to insiders, Apple plans to focus on introducing the artificial intelligence processing capabilities of the aforementioned chips and how they will integrate with the next version of macOS.

Most of these artificial intelligence related functions are designed to run on the device itself, rather than on remote servers, and faster M4 chips will help enhance these functions. In addition, Apple plans to upgrade its iPhone chips this year with a focus on artificial intelligence.

The M4 chip combined with AI may boost sales of Apple's computer products. Since reaching its peak in 2022, sales of Apple's Mac series have decreased by 27% in the previous fiscal year (as of September last year).

Last October, Apple released the first batch of Macs equipped with M3 chips. Apple is trying to inject new vitality into its Mac business through the M3 chip, but the effect is not significant because the M3 chip does not have significant performance improvements or obvious highlights compared to the previous generation M2 chip.

If Apple really releases the M4 chip in June this year and installs it on its computer products, it will put iMac and MacBook Pro on a fast track of updates, as these two product lines were only updated in October last year, less than half a year ago. The last upgrade of Mac mini was in January 2023.

Insiders also revealed that Apple may launch more Macs equipped with M4 chips in 2025. Among them, the 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Air may be updated in the spring of 2025, Mac Studio may be updated in the middle of the year, and Mac Pro will be updated later in 2025. MacBook Air was just equipped with the M3 chip last month, while Mac Studio and Mac Pro updated the M2 chip last year.

Although the above news has not been officially confirmed by Apple, the market reaction was very positive after the news was released. On Thursday (April 11th), Apple's stock price broke a beautiful upward trend, closing up more than 4% at $175.03, with a single day market value increase of $112 billion.

JPMorgan Chase analyst Samik Chatterjee stated in a client report on Thursday that despite Apple's deteriorating fundamentals this year, hedge fund investors are becoming enthusiastic about Apple stocks.

Chatterjee stated that the recent decline in Apple's stock price is creating a more attractive valuation before there may be a major upgrade cycle for the iPhone. He said, "The increasing interest of investors is largely due to their interest in participating in cyclical increases related to the upgrade cycle dominated by artificial intelligence devices."