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Apple Developing AI Server With M-Series Ultra Chips
Confirmed
In Short: Apple is reportedly working on an AI server using its high-performance M-series Ultra chips, a move that could mark the company's return to the enterprise server market after nearly two decades.
Apple is reportedly developing an AI server that would use its high-performance M-series Ultra chips, a move that could mark the company's return to the enterprise server market after nearly two decades. According to reports, the server would come in two configurations, each with either two or four of Apple’s future M8 Ultra chips.
The project reportedly received support from Apple CEO John Ternus when it began a year ago, back when Ternus led Apple’s hardware engineering efforts. The potential product’s expected release in 2029 would capitalize on the surging popularity of Apple hardware among AI developers.
Apple is also considering connecting its M8 chips using Nvidia’s NVLink Fusion technology, which would allow for high-bandwidth, low-latency links between chips. This would be a notable return for Apple to the enterprise server market following the retirement of its Xserve in 2011.
The popularity of Apple’s Mac mini and Mac Studio among AI developers and companies has encouraged Apple’s pursuit of an enterprise server using the same chips. Demand from AI teams buying these Mac computers in volume appears to have sharpened Apple’s interest in a rack-scale product.
Apple already builds servers for its own Private Cloud Compute stack but has declined requests from partners to sell that hardware externally. If Apple moves ahead with the project, it would be a significant step into the enterprise server market, leveraging its high-performance M-series Ultra chips for AI workloads.
What's confirmed
- The project reportedly received support from new Apple CEO John Ternus when it began a year ago, back when Ternus led Apple’s hardware engineering efforts.
What's still developing
- The potential use of Nvidia’s NVLink Fusion technology comes as sources told The Information that Apple and Nvidia have been holding conversations about how Apple could leverage Nvidia’s technology for the company’s AI push.
- I recommend they consider a BSD Unix variant. servers have to be redefined like the mac pro. for example is there any reason unified memory must be so slow. any reason why apple can’t move on to pci 8 and a graphic processing unit with 128 megabytes per card. pci 8 is looking slow but increasing it to 128 bit. servers no longer need to be big or have redundant power supplies.
- Two configurations are under consideration: a two-chip system and a four-chip version built around Apple’s highest-performance M-series silicon.
- Apple is holding a launch event on September 9th.
- We are expecting the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 to appear alongside the new iPhones.
- One established Chinese leaker claims Apple is prioritising it through a larger battery and better efficiency.
- The next iteration in the Apple Watch Series looks all but certain.
- So we do not expect significant design changes for either Series 12 or Ultra 4.