Apple may revive Xserve for the AI market

Apple is considering re-entering the server hardware market with AI-focused servers built around M8 Ultra chips, targeting availability starting in 2029, according to a report from The Information. The servers would come in two configurations — one with two M8 Ultra chips and another with four — and Apple could adopt Nvidia's NVLink Fusion technology, which Nvidia opened to other companies in 2025. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple could instead use the M7 Ultra in its 2029 server, but that it's also possible Apple "is doing M8 Ultra simultaneously.

According to a report https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-considers-return-server-market-talked-nvidia-use-network-tech by The Information, Apple could re-enter the server hardware market. The servers would be targeted at the AI development, with availability starting in 2029. While Apple’s plans are tentative, the servers have reportedly been in the works for a year. The company has two types of servers centered around M8 Ultra chips, one with two M8 Ultra chips, while another has four M8 Ultras. The Information also reports that Apple could use Nvidia’s NVLInk Fusion https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/nvlink-fusion/ technology, which is used for high-speed connections between chips. Nvidia in 2025 opened up NVLink to other companies for use in their servers. Mac hardware has become very popular with AI developers. Online processing is a vital part of AI, so Apple’s desire to get into the AI server market is a good opportunity for the company. Apple used to sell Xserve, a line of servers, but it was discontinued https://www.macworld.com/article/208822/xserve discontinued.html 15 years ago. When the company discontinued Xserve, it recommended that customers use a Mac Pro or Mac mini, which is a viable solution for a single, stand-alone server or a very small cluster. With AI, however, large server clusters are needed, and companies want the blade form factor that is the standard in the industry. The M8 Ultra is a few generations beyond the current fastest chip Apple offers, the M5 Ultra. The M5 Ultra is found only in the Mac Studio and requires a two-pound cooling system. Apple will have to create a cooling system that can fit in a 1U or 2U rack-mount design. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has previously reported on Apple plans to release an AI server, responded https://x.com/markgurman/status/2100252758859489391?s=12&t=KeNv190kZok LLb57m5tjg to the report by stating that Apple could be using the M7 Ultra in its server for 2029, but it’s also possible Apple “is doing M8 Ultra simultaneously.”