Apple May Return to Server Market With Nvidia Technology
www.macrumors.com
Apple is considering offering an AI server built around "M8" series chips and has discussed incorporating Nvidia networking hardware, The Information reports. The system would be sold to outside customers, potentially bringing Apple back into a business it left behind when it discontinued Xserve in 2011. Apple is reportedly targeting companies that want to run AI models on their own equipment, with a particular focus on inference and generating responses from trained models.
  • REDACTED@infosec.pubEnglish
    0·
    5 days ago

    Why would anyone ever buy a server from apple? Isn’t it a consumer brand? Feels like opposite of “enterprise friendly priced hardware”

    • frongt@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      5 days ago

      The macOS license agreement specifies you may only run it on Apple hardware. That means Xserve. So if you’re developing for macOS or iOS and want to use Xcode and target Mac platforms, you need this.

      Or if you want to run server-size virtualization. You can install ESXi or another hypervisor on an Xserve and be compliant.

    • fonix232@fedia.io
      0·
      5 days ago

      Apple hardware is one of the best platforms for low scale AI workloads. A simple M4 Pro MacBook Pro with 64GB RAM can comfortably run the best “at-home” model currently available (Qwen3-Coder-Next) around 30-40tkps.

      A comparably specced AMD Ryzen AI 395+ can do about half of that.

      If Apple delivered that in server-scale, easily scalable packages, there would definitely be buyers.

      • REDACTED@infosec.pubEnglish
        0·
        5 days ago

        Server, enterprise

        Mac mini

        I don’t know man, anything that becomes a full-sized server/hardware has different pricing than mini-PCs. We are talking about a collaboration with Nvidia, a company that manages to overcharge everyone.

    • jobbies@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      5 days ago

      Well OpenAI allegedly bought a boatload of mac minis. And I dont think it was for brushing up their resumes and watching porn.

  • db2@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    5 days ago

    Introducing 1 the Apple Xtra Xtreme Xserver, exclusively with subscriptions 2 available in Pro, Pro Plus, Xecutive One and Pro Xecutive One Plus! (wheels $799.99 extra 3)

    1 purchase of hardware does not imply ownership
    2 subscribing to service also agrees all data stored on or passing through will be used to train AI
    3 because fuck you that’s why

  • 9point6@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    6 days ago

    I can’t imagine anyone running server farms is particularly hyped about this

    Didn’t a load of them get burned pretty badly by apple killing off the last server line and Steve Jobs just told them to cry more when challenged about it

  • eicker@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    0·
    6 days ago

    Apple returning to the server market would be quite the plot twist: after years of people building unofficial Mac Studio AI clusters, Apple may simply productize the idea. Dual or quad M8 Ultra systems, potentially connected via Nvidia NVLink Fusion, could make local AI infrastructure far more mainstream. The Mac Pro might finally have found its next job.