Apple unveils new M5 chip powering upgraded MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro

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Apple introduced its latest generation of hardware on Wednesday, rolling out new versions of the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro headset, all powered by the company’s most advanced M5 chip. The updates reinforce Apple’s push to stay ahead of rivals like Qualcomm and Intel, which have recently launched AI-optimized processors.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the M5 chip marks a significant upgrade from last year’s M4 lineup. Built using an advanced 3-nanometer process, the M5 delivers greater speed and energy efficiency, enabling devices to run large language models directly on the device. Despite the leap in performance, pricing remains unchanged — the MacBook Pro starts at $1,599, the iPad Pro at $999, and the second-generation Vision Pro headset at $3,499.

Apple said the new hardware lineup targets creative professionals and developers seeking on-device AI capabilities. The company’s decision to debut the M5 in its high-end products mirrors its strategy from previous years, prioritizing premium models before bringing the chip to other devices.

The Vision Pro, launched in 2023 as Apple’s first major new product in a decade, has received positive reviews for its visual quality but limited adoption. The updated version aims to attract more users with better performance and smoother app integration. Meanwhile, iPad sales are projected to grow about 6% in fiscal 2025 after a multi-year slump, aided by lower-cost models and a recovery in global electronics demand.

TSMC lifts revenue forecast on surging AI chip demand after record profit

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest chipmaker, raised its full-year revenue forecast after reporting a record quarterly profit, citing booming demand for artificial intelligence chips. The results reinforced investor confidence in the AI megatrend, which continues to drive growth across the semiconductor industry despite fears of overheating.

TSMC said it now expects 2025 revenue to grow in the mid-30% range in U.S. dollar terms, up from its previous forecast of around 30%. The company maintained its capital expenditure outlook at up to $42 billion for 2025. “AI demand continues to be stronger than we expected three months ago,” CEO C.C. Wei told analysts, adding that customer requests for expanded capacity remain high.

The company’s robust performance comes amid a flurry of billion-dollar partnerships between AI developers and chipmakers, including OpenAI’s collaborations with Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom to build massive data center capacity. TSMC manufactures chips for all three, as well as for Apple.

In the July–September quarter, TSMC’s net profit surged 39.1% year-on-year to T$452.3 billion ($14.76 billion), easily beating market expectations of T$417.7 billion. Wei said the company remains confident that demand for leading-edge semiconductors is “real” and will continue through 2026, despite geopolitical uncertainties and potential U.S. tariffs on chip imports.

TSMC shares have risen 38% this year, far outpacing Taiwan’s broader market, as the company cements its dominance in the global AI supply chain.

Meta partners with Arm to boost AI recommendations across Facebook and Instagram

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Meta Platforms announced a new partnership with chip technology firm Arm Holdings to power the AI systems behind its personalization and recommendation engines across Facebook and Instagram. The collaboration marks another milestone for Arm as it pushes deeper into data center and AI computing — areas long dominated by Intel and AMD’s x86 architecture.

Meta will deploy Arm-based data center platforms to run the ranking and recommendation algorithms that determine what users see on its apps. Both companies said the shift will deliver higher performance and improved energy efficiency compared to traditional x86 systems.

Arm, backed by Japan’s SoftBank, provides the chip designs that serve as blueprints for central processing units (CPUs) used in billions of devices worldwide. While its technology already dominates smartphones, it is rapidly expanding into server and personal computer markets.

As part of the announcement, Meta revealed a $1.5 billion investment in a new Texas data center, its 29th facility globally, to support AI infrastructure growth. The two companies also said they have optimized Meta’s AI software for Arm chips and made the improvements open source, allowing developers to freely use and build upon them — a move expected to speed up Arm’s adoption in cloud computing.

Meta and Arm plan to continue refining their joint open-source projects to make AI workloads more efficient and accessible across the industry.