Apple Inc. is developing three custom processors for its Mac computer line and the first chip, a 12-core model, is expected to launch as early as 2021.

That’s according to a report published today by Bloomberg, which said the project is code-named Kalamata internally. The possible 2021 launch date suggests rapid progress in Apple’s long-reported efforts to replace the Intel Corp. processors in its current Macs with internally designed silicon. 

All three Mac processors are described as systems-on-chip that combine a central processing unit with a graphics processing unit in one integrated module. The CPU is reportedly based on an Arm Ltd. design and will be fabricated by semiconductor manufacturer TSMC Ltd. using a five-nanometer chipmaking process.

The first of the chips, the one expected to ship as early next year, is believed to pack a CPU with a minimum of 12 cores. There will be eight high-performance cores and at least four energy-efficient cores that sacrifice some computing capacity for a lower power draw. It’s an approach Apple has also implemented with the iPad Pro it debuted last month, which is divided into four high-performance and four energy-efficient circuits.

That’s reportedly not the only similarity the Mac SOCs share with the silicon inside Apple’s mobile devices. It’s also believed that the three chips will be based on the yet-unannounced SOC that Apple plans to ship with the next iPhone.

The chips’ common design makes it possible to discern some additional information about future Macs’ processing power. A purported benchmark test of the iPhone SOC that leaked last month showed 25% better single-core performance and 33% better multi-core performance than current iPhone’s A13 Bionic chip. In the clock speed department, the benchmark indicated a top frequency of 3.1 GHz, which likely means Mac buyers can expect something similar. 

A 3.1 GHz top frequency would represent a new record for the iPhone, though it would still considerably lower than clock speeds offered by high-end Mac models such as the iMac and  MacBook Pro. That helps explains why Bloomberg’s report indicated that Apple’s homegrown chips will initially ship only with low-end MacBooks.

For Apple, switching from Intel processors to internally designed silicon would give it more control over its supply chain as well as possibly reduce costs. And for Arm, the switch would translate into a sizable new revenue stream. The British chip charges a royalty fee on each chip made using its technology, which could add up significantly across the several million Mac systems Apple is estimated to sell annually. 

Photo: Apple