Today Apple began to take preorders for its recently announced M2 13-inch MacBook Pro. While the device features the same design as the previous model and only modest upgrades, it seems that hasn’t put prospective consumers off. Some custom configurations of the new device are delayed until the 10th of August. The highest-end model with 24GB of unified memory seems to be particularly popular.
For folks hoping to snag a new MacBook Pros on launch day, standard configurations are still available. Apple stores will likely carry a wider variety of spec options but this will be limited to predefined configurations (determined by Apple).
The supply issues are not surprising. Apple has had difficulties with semiconductor shortages as has most of the industry. The Mac has been particularly hard hit. Apple’s CFO Luca Maestri stated that the tech giant is likely to face constraints for the rest of the fiscal year.
2nm Apple Silicon in the pipeline
As reported by Nikkei Asia, key Apple supplier, TSMC, is set to begin producing 2nm chips as soon as 2025. This will be particularly helpful for Apple’s future silicon roadmap, affording even greater performance while providing extreme power efficiency.
One of the most notable updates shared by TSMC is the transition to a new architecture. TSMC refers to this as ‘nanosheet transistor architecture’. It is a divergence away from the current architecture known as FinFET. It will enable extreme levels of performance and efficiency.
Of course, at present, Apple mostly relies on 5nm chips and TSMC has 3nm chips upcoming in the not too distant future. The recently unveiled M2 uses a second-generation 5nm architecture but we may see 3nm come to M3 when that generation of chips begins to roll out.
The AppleTLDR take
The silicon shortage continues to be the bane of the entire technology industry (and beyond). Hopefully, things will settle by next year. The shortages aren’t great for anybody. For Apple, consumers, chip fabricators….anybody. The sooner suppliers get caught up the better.
P.S. If you plan to order the all-new MacBook Air, you’d be wise to get that order in when orders go live. Unless you’re happy to wait a couple of months.