Windows computers won’t be the only ones with the next-generation Intel Haswell processors. According to MacRumors, Apple will also be upgrading its iMacs, Macbook Pros, and Airs to the new chip later this year.
DigiTimes reports that, according to Apple supplier sources, the tech giant is expected to start placing new orders by May since “the company has almost finished digesting its excess inventory.” In their opinion, Apple will be ordering new parts for “mainly Haswell-based models.”
As Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at his conference call this week, the Cuppertino company won’t be releasing anything new until this fall, so it is possible that DigiTimes’ sources could be correct. After all, if Apple really orders new parts by next month, new Haswell-powered computers could arrive later this year.
Intel’s upcoming computer processors are expected to launch mid-2013. These so-called Haswell chips promise a 10 percent boost in computer processing speeds and 50 percent improvement over the current integrated graphics chip Intel HD Graphics 4000. Not only that, but laptops with the fourth-gen processor will be much thinner (around 10mm thick) and offer significantly better battery life than current models (between 8 to 10 hours unplugged).
It’s too early to tell which Apple computer will be getting the new processors from Intel first. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a good batting average at anticipating Apple’s moves, according to MacRumors, expects the MacBook Air to be upgraded to the Haswell chip as early as the end of Q2, though that timing has just been debunked by Cook this week. Kuo’s roadmap suggests all of Apple’s iMacs and MacBook Pros will be updated with Haswell chips by the end of this year.
For Mac users who are eager to take advantage of the new computing power that Haswell processors offer, you have some time to start saving up for a new device later this year.
