iMac on the desktopSource: Mike Matthews/iMore

What you need to know

  • Apple may launch an Apple Silicon iMac as early as the first half of 2021.
  • That's according to a new report from China Times.
  • Apple's first Apple silicon Mac is set to be a MacBook, launching in November, as per previous reports.

A new report from China Times claims Apple will launch an Apple silicon iMac in the first half of 2021.

The report tracks usage and timelines of Apple's new series of A14 processors, which recently debuted in the iPhone 12 and iPad Air (2020). From the story:

In addition to the first Apple Silicon processor A14X used in Macbooks that has been mass-produced by TSMC 5nm, according to Apple's supply chain news, Apple will launch the first self-developed GPU codenamed Lifuka next year, and the R&D codenamed Mt.Jade The first desktop computer processor A14T, both chips will be produced using TSMC's 5nm process in the first half of next year.

As this report notes, Apple has already publicly stated it will launch an Apple silicon Mac this year, and rumors widely suggest this will be a MacBook, likely a 13-inch model. A report from Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this year stated that a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro would be the first Apple silicon product to hit the market, possibly followed by a MacBook Air.

The China Times report further notes that, as expected, Apple has already begun work in its next chip, the A15 series, to be featured in the iPhone 13. This will also reportedly feature as Apple's second-generation of Apple Silicon.

According to the report, Apple's 2021 Apple silicon iMac will use an 'A14T' chip codenamed 'Mt. Jade'. An A14X chip nicknamed 'Tonga' will feature in Apple's upcoming MacBook and a new iPad Pro.

It was recently reported that Apple's November event will take place on November 17.

What Apple Silicon means for the Mac and You