According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Apple is in discussions with Foxconn, its primary manufacturing partner for iPhones, regarding the establishment of new Apple Intelligence servers in Taiwan.
The addition of more servers would enhance Apple’s processing capabilities, making it possible for users to perform more sophisticated tasks. Currently, Apple’s server operations are supported by the M2 Ultra chip, but there are intentions to incorporate one of the upcoming M4 chips for these new servers.
While it’s still unclear whether Apple will upgrade existing servers to the M4 chip, and which specific variant of the chip will be utilized, speculation suggests it could be one of several options, including the base model, Pro, Max, or an Ultra variant not yet revealed. Initial leaked Geekbench results indicate that the M4 Max significantly outperforms the M2 Ultra, making it a likely candidate to power the new servers and significantly enhance the existing infrastructure.
Foxconn is already heavily engaged in the production of Nvidia AI servers, leading some analysts to be skeptical about its capacity to also accommodate Apple’s demands. Following the rapid rise in popularity of products like ChatGPT, Apple has been relatively slow to embrace artificial intelligence, with its Apple Intelligence features still being gradually introduced.
The plan to expand server production suggests Apple aims to delve deeper into AI-driven products and services, potentially offering advanced features that cannot be handled solely by devices. When a user connects their iPhone or Mac to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute models for added processing power, Apple assures that individual data remains secure—neither stored on the servers nor shared with the company.
Currently, servers equipped with the powerful M2 Ultra chip handle computations and relay the results directly to the user’s device. If you haven’t experienced many Apple Intelligence functionalities on your iPhone, that’s likely because the most significant updates are lined up for the upcoming iOS 18.2 release in December.
This update is set to introduce features like Genmoji, which allows for the creation of custom emojis, and Image Playground for generating images within apps. Additionally, Siri will receive enhancements similar to ChatGPT, marking a notable upgrade to the AI capabilities on your iPhone.
In summary, Apple’s efforts to bolster its server capabilities indicate a strategic move toward expanding its role in the AI domain, equipped to deliver increasingly intricate functionalities to users in the near future.
