Apple might be launching a new, more powerful M2 chip as early as this summer

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The new M1-powered iMacs and iPad Pro just got released but Apple is going full steam ahead towards releasing the second generation of M-chips, with Nikkei saying that the new chips could be ready for release as early as July.

If so, that would match up with an announcement during Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC), scheduled from June 7 to 11.

The sources that Nikkei spoke to only mentioned the M2 chips being used in MacBooks, so you’re probably safe to pick up one of those shiny, colorful iMacs that are powered by the M1. We don’t know if the M2 chips will arrive as an update at the same time, or if Apple will bring the M2 to any other Apple devices this year.

TSMC will reportedly be making the chips, built on their 5-nanometer ‘plus’ process. That ‘plus’ designation means it’s a refinement over the 5-nanometer process that is already used for the M1 chips, which could bring everything from higher performance per clock, to battery life improvements.

With 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models rumored to be released this year, it’s a fair bet that the M2 chips will power them. Will that release also bring mini-LED screens to at least one of the screen sizes, like the recent iPad Pro release?

Whatever the answers to these questions turn out to be, we won’t have long to wait before we find out.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.