References to Intel's Latest Ice Lake SP Processors in Xcode 13 Beta Hint at Forthcoming Mac Pro Update

New Intel chips appropriate for a refreshed Mac Pro have been spotted in the Xcode 13 beta, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has confirmed that Apple is indeed preparing an updated version of the Intel-based ‌Mac Pro‌.

mac pro mini feature
The chip data added to the beta is for Intel's third-generation Xeon Scalable processor, Ice Lake SP, which Intel announced back in April. According to Intel, the chip offers "advanced performance, security, efficiency, and built-in AI acceleration to handle IoT workloads and more powerful AI."

Bloomberg in January said that Apple is developing two versions of the new ‌Mac Pro‌, one that's a direct successor to the 2019 ‌Mac Pro‌ and one that offers a smaller form factor that's about half the size.


Apple is working to transition its entire Mac lineup to Apple silicon, and the smaller ‌Mac Pro‌ will feature Apple silicon chips, but it appears Apple is planning to keep at least one Intel ‌Mac Pro‌ available for the time being.

Some of the high-end Apple silicon chips that Apple is developing feature 20 or 40 computing cores with 64 or 128 core GPUs, but it is not clear if the earliest versions of ‌Mac Pro‌ chips will be able to compete with Intel's Xeon processors for heavy duty professional workloads.

This Intel-based ‌Mac Pro‌ may be one of the last Intel machines as Apple has already started transitioning the iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air lines to Apple silicon. Apple this year plans to release 14 and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with higher-end "M2" Apple silicon chips, and there's also a larger Apple silicon ‌iMac‌ in development.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

Acidsplat Avatar
59 months ago
People complaining about this are not the target demographic.
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stephen.R Avatar
59 months ago

Absolute ? way to piss off every Mac Pro 2019 owner. Even as one of the first customers to order it, I didn’t receive it until feb 2020. So just over a year old and they are talking about another release. WOW what a way to get pros to spend 10k and then release an update so soon. SHOCKING. A way to basically make sure the nail is in the coffin.
I must have missed the part where the 2019 Mac Pro has a built in self destruct that triggers the moment a new model is released
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ruka.snow Avatar
59 months ago
It would be sensible to keep the Intel Mac Pro running for a few generations. Big companies invested into the promise to make pro software on its release and users of these machines may not be able to dump their software in the blink of a eye. I also still rather doubt that Apple can take on dedicated AMD GPU's yet.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
59 months ago
Xeons are battle tested and proven CPUs. If I was in the market to buy another $20K workstation, I sure wouldn't gamble my livelihood or profession on a M2 Mac Pro.
Some year down the line sure - but not yet. It's too soon
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eso Avatar
59 months ago
So 1 year into the "2-year Apple Silicon Transition" we've gotten one chip and a rumor of updating the top end Mac with Intel. Ok.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
visualseed Avatar
59 months ago

Absolute ? way to piss off every Mac Pro 2019 owner. Even as one of the first customers to order it, I didn’t receive it until feb 2020. So just over a year old and they are talking about another release. WOW what a way to get pros to spend 10k and then release an update so soon. SHOCKING. A way to basically make sure the nail is in the coffin.
So, Apple showing they are going to continue to support the model with updates pisses you off? Did you think you were buying to one and only model and there would be no updates? If you need a tool you buy the best you can afford the moment you need it. If you can afford to wait, then you don't really need it. Pros with real work to do aren't waiting around a year to see if Apple is going to release a faster model. They are buying today to do work today and if the faster model is justified they will buy it when it arrives and upgrade.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)