Apple Accelerates Smart Glasses, AI Server Chip Development

Apple is developing custom chips for its upcoming smart glasses and AI servers, marking a significant step in the company's hardware strategy. The company's silicon design team is working on new chips that will serve as the brains of future devices, including the first smart glasses, more powerful Macs, and AI servers.Sources familiar with the matter have revealed that apple has made progress in developing chips for its smart glasses. This development indicates that Apple is accelerating the development of such devices to compete with meta platforms Inc.'s Ray-Ban glasses. In recent years, the silicon team has become a crucial part of Apple's product development engine, especially since 2020 when the company began using its own Mac chips to replace Intel processors.These unnamed sources also mentioned that the team is developing chips for future Mac devices and AI servers that will support the Apple Intelligence platform. The smart glasses processor is based on the chip used in the Apple Watch, which has lower power consumption compared to components in iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Apple plans to start mass-producing this processor by the end of next year or by 2027, suggesting that the smart glasses product could launch within the next two years if everything goes smoothly. As with other major Apple chips, the production will be handled by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).Apple's AI server chip will be the company's first processor specifically designed for this purpose. It will handle remote processing of Apple Intelligence requests and send information back to user devices. Currently, this task is performed by high-end Mac chips, including the M2 Ultra. The AI server project, codenamed Baltra, is planned to be completed by 2027 and will use components co-developed with Broadcom.This strategic move by Apple underscores the company's commitment to integrating custom silicon into its product ecosystem. By developing chips tailored to specific devices and services, Apple aims to enhance performance, efficiency, and user experience. The focus on AI servers also highlights Apple's growing emphasis on artificial intelligence and machine learning, positioning the company to compete more effectively in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.