Apple To Include A10X Fusion Chip In iMac Pro As An ARM Coprocessor, For Always-On "Hey Siri"

Apple’s most powerful Mac ever made - iMac Pro is set to launch by the end of this year, although it seems the company has revealed most of...

Apple’s most powerful Mac ever made - iMac Pro is set to launch by the end of this year, although it seems the company has revealed most of the device’s spec details, but it appears more features are inside of the handset. This evening, a couple of tidbits regarding the iMac Pro have emerged thanks to some digging by developers Johnathan Levin, Steve Troughton-Smith, and Guilherme Rambo.

According to information available via the BridgeOS 2.0 software package from Apple, it appears that the iMac Pro will feature an ARM coprocessor in the form of an A10 Fusion chip. This would mark the first time that a Mac has used an A-series chip designed by Apple. Developer Troughton-Smith said on Twitter that the chip would let “Apple experiment with tighter control” of macOS, without frustrating developers and users.

Furthermore, he explains that the A10 Fusion chip (512MB) in the iMac Pro could powers always-on “Hey, Siri,” a feature that’s currently missing from the macOS version of Siri. In fact, Smith says it appears that the chip even runs when the iMac Pro is completely shut off. It also appears that the chip to handle the macOS boot & security process.

As we reported earlier in this year, the iMac Pro would feature an ARM coprocessor. Bloomberg also reported at the beginning of the year that Apple was developing a new ARM-based chip destined for the MacBook Pro. This chip is said to responsible for handling low-power tasks which currently rely on Intel’s processor.

As of now, Apple ships a custom ARM chip what they called T1 in its latest MacBook Pro models. The Cupertino firm still didn’t provide an official release date for the iMac Pro, but they promised that it will be here before the end of the year.

Via 9to5Mac, Image Credit CNET