Meanwhile, rumors have been whispered that Apple is preparing a dedicated game machine such as the Nintendo Switch that adopted the new SoC.
According to a post on the Korean community site Clien, Apple is developing a “portable hybrid console (a game-only machine that can be stationary or portable)” similar to the switch. The SoC to be installed is a new model different from the A series (iPhone installed) and M series (M1 chip series adopted by Mac and iPad Pro), GPU performance is improved and ray tracing is also supported. It is also stated that it is negotiating game development with major publisher Ubisoft.
The authenticity of this post itself is unknown, but it seems to be credible to some extent as it is quoted by Mr. Tron (@FrontTron), a famous leaker (who sends influential information about unreleased products of interest). I will.
Apple, preparing a portable hybrid console, like the Switch
A new Globe Live Media is being prepared with a new model name, not the Apple A series or M series. It features enhanced GPU performance and ray tracing support. Future games are in negotiation with Ubisoft.https://t.co/K88iSMC4bd
– Tron ❂ (@FrontTron) May 7, 2021
It has been reported that Qualcomm is developing a game console like Switch just the other day, and switches-conscious devices are one of the trends in the Windows 10 PC area as well. However, iPhones and iPads have already become influential game consoles equipped with powerful SoCs, and I wonder where there is a need for such game consoles.
However, the iPhone and iPad are not specialized for games, and even if they have advanced hardware, there is a limit to the thermal design frame, so it cannot be said that they are able to fully draw out their potential. Rumored game consoles may, for example, have a larger enclosure to provide space for a high-performance cooler.
There were rumors that Apple once announced a high-end gaming Mac at the 2020 developer conference WWDC, but it hasn’t happened in the end. However, it is possible that Apple is considering expanding into a dedicated game machine because there are frequent rumors such as the above “Apple TV for games” and the focus is on the flat-rate game service Apple Arcade. I can’t deny it.
It is also rumored that Mokka Apple has begun mass production of M2 or M1X chips for the next MacBook Pro. There is a theory that this chip will increase the number of high-performance cores and also significantly improve GPU performance, and if sufficient performance can be expected, it is likely that it will be diverted to dedicated game machines.