Apple Eyes Server Market Return to Fuel AI Ambitions
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Reports suggest Apple may launch ARM-based enterprise hardware by 2029, potentially leveraging Nvidia technology to scale compute power.
Apple is planning a return to the server market, as first reported by The Verge via The Information. The move comes as the company seeks to capitalize on the expanding AI industry's demand for compute power, utilizing its efficient ARM-based M processors.
While Apple retired its Xserve line in 2011, the popularity of the Mac Studio and Mac Mini among AI developers—which has resulted in product shortages—indicates a market opening for enterprise-grade machines. The proposed server hardware is not expected to debut until 2029 and is rumored to feature either two or four M8 Ultra chips. For context, Apple announced the M6 chip in August.
To enhance performance, The Verge reports that Apple's servers could incorporate Nvidia's NVLink Fusion technology, which allows multiple chips to operate as a single unit. This potential collaboration follows Apple's recent use of Nvidia chips to power its updated Siri servers, despite a historically frosty relationship between the two firms. It remains unclear if the new hardware will be branded as Xserve or under a different name.