According to a new report published today, Apple’s forthcoming iMac Pro will feature a Secure Enclave Processor which is similar in function to the ARM-based chip on the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.
Borrowed from the iOS line of products, Secure Enclave Processor technology was introduced to the Mac platform with the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar late last year. Like its iPhone and iPad siblings, the MacBook Pro uses an ARM processor to authenticate Touch ID operations.
The report also notes that Apple’s new high-end desktop will run Intel’s LGA3647 socket, a server-grade component reserved for the Purley Xeon platform. Purley is based on the Xeon E5 and E7 platforms and supports high-end Skylake class Xeon silicon.
The information lines up with Apple’s promise to equip the desktop with 8-, 10- or 18-core Xeon processors. Entry-level 8-core versions are expected to start at $4,999 USD.
