# Episode 94: Chatting Apple Silicon with Apple's Tim Millet and Tom Boger

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2024-11-18
- Length: 35m
- Episode: 94
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/124f8bc4

## Summary

Apple executives Tom Boger and Tim Millet explain how Apple Silicon serves as a foundational pillar of the company's product ecosystem, enabling form factors like the Mac mini and iPad through a relentless pursuit of performance per watt. They detail the functional organizational structure that allows hardware, software, and silicon teams to synchronize annually, avoiding the delays common in other chip companies. The discussion highlights the architecture of the M4 Pro and M4 Max, unified memory, and the strategic integration of the Neural Engine to support on-device AI and Apple Intelligence while maintaining strict data privacy.

## Chapters

- [0:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=5) Introduction: Ben Bajarin, Jay Goldberg, Tom Boger, and Tim Millet
- [2:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=140) Performance per watt and form factor constraints with the Mac mini
- [6:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=387) Silicon as a pillar and the vertical integration advantage
- [11:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=688) Organizational structure and hitting annual silicon deadlines
- [18:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=1114) Neural Engine history, transformers, and on-device AI strategy
- [24:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=1466) Managing AI model shifts and unified memory architecture
- [29:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-11-18-episode-94-chatting-apple-silicon-with-apples-tim-millet-and-tom-boger#t=1786) Chasing performance limits, dynamic caching, and Moore's Law

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Apple (company)
- Tom Boger (other)
- Tim Millet (other)
- Mac mini (product)
- iPad (product)
- iPhone (product)
- M4 Pro (product)
- M4 Max (product)
- M1 (product)
- M3 (product)
- M4 (product)
- Apple Neural Engine (product)
- Apple Intelligence (product)
- iPad Pro (product)
- AirPods (product)
- MacBook Pro (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [66: Apple Hardware Computers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2021-02-10-66-apple-hardware-computers) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [AI that can be your second brain with Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri of Humane](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-14-ai-that-can-be-your-second-brain-with-bethany-bongiorno-and-imran-chaudhri-of-hu) (How I Built This)
- [AI Chip Revelations | A Corporate Soap Opera | The Sounds of a Pandemic](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-04-17-ai-chip-revelations-a-corporate-soap-opera-the-sounds-of-a-pandemic) (EE Times Current)
- [114: Nothing but Corners](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2024-07-11-114-nothing-but-corners) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Inside the emerging frontier of models, machines and manufacturing hell.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-12-11-inside-the-emerging-frontier-of-models-machines-and-manufacturing-hell) (Built 2 Scale)

## Citing this page

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