Apple May Ditch Intel CPUs In Favor Of Their Own Chips

[oneeyedlittleman]

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/4/2/17189372/apple-intel-chip-processors-macs-date
 

Quote

In a major shift that carries big implications for both companies, Apple will reportedly replace Intel’s processors with the company’s own chips in Mac computers as soon as 2020, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The changeover is likely to begin with laptops such as the 12-inch MacBook. Intel’s stock price took a hit soon after the report was published; Bloomberg estimates that Apple provides approximately 5 percent of the chipmaker’s annual revenue.

So basically, Apple is seeing that their ARM based processors have been very well received, and are planning on applying what they learned making CPUs for mobile phones and tablets to their home computer line, likely starting with their 12 inch macbook air. Whether this will mean an ARM based mac or a x86 based one remains to be seen.

While I'm a fan of MOAR POWER, Intel chips are not the limiting factor on any mac imo. This actually kinda upsets me, because I KNOW this is the reason why they haven't updated the mac mini I have SINCE 2014. I hope they use some of the money they save making their own chips to either reduce prices or refresh their desktop lineup, or this will leave a lot of musicians hanging. It will also be interesting to see how long Apple supports Intel macs.
 

[MyName13]

I didn't know there are ARM CPUs that are as powerful as x86 CPUs in high end laptops.

[Crunchy Dragon]

Wonder just how long it'll be before Apple's chips get powerful enough that musicians and other people who need the workstation power of a high end Mac will be able to stop using their Intel-based Macs.

[Hunter259]

This is literally the oldest rumor on the planet with the introduction year for these chips always being 2-3 years away. Every since Apple started designing their own chips for the iPhone and iPad this has been a rumor. No one has built an ARM chip at this size. Comparing the two in Geekbench isn't enough to tell me the performance is there and losing the incredible amount of software support that x86 has is stupid. Tell me when we see these in the wild because otherwise it's just another stupid rumor to add to the pile.

[oneeyedlittleman]

2 minutes ago, MyName13 said:

I didn't know there are ARM CPUs that are as powerful as x86 CPUs in high end laptops.

Id imagine they'll start with the 13in macbook air, which is only a 1.8Ghz dual core, and work their way up as they further engineer their chips

[mynameisjuan]

But geekbench proved the ipad pro is more powerful than the macbook....../s

 

 

[DildorTheDecent]

Just now, oneeyedlittleman said:

Id imagine they'll start with the 13in macbook air, which is only a 1.8Ghz dual core, and work their way up as they further engineer their chips

Makes more sense to start with the 12 inch MacBook.

 

That Core m3 could probably be trumped by an Apple designed processor.

[Nena Trinity]

If they emulate it they can make a MAC that can run x86 like the Snapdragon laptops but x64 will not work and emulation does reduce performance...

[sazrocks]

No? I dont see any way this could go any better than Windows RT. x86 is not going away anytime soon; stop pretending it will.

[Nicnac]

it's only going to be for their mobile devices I bet. Good news I'd say all in all

 

Edit: By mobile devices I mean macbooks as opposed to iMacs.... I know bad wording. should have said mobile computers or laptops right away^^

[oneeyedlittleman]

Just now, DildorTheDecent said:

Makes more sense to start with the 12 inch MacBook.

 

That Core m3 could probably be trumped by an Apple designed processor.

I totally forgot about the 12 inch. I really don't follow the laptops. Any mac that isn't a desktop is basically dead to me since I only have it for music, I don't need it being breakable, I have a $300 windows laptop for that. If I need OSX away from where my mac is rack mounted I have Teamviewer. 

[TheGlenlivet]

Is it not possible that Apple could have x86 chips in development?  They do have like a million billion dollars....

 

EDIT:  After reading the article more thoroughly, I guess not.  It doesn't specifically say they are NOT developing x86 chips, but they are the ARM masters. It wouldn't make sense...

[sazrocks]

Just now, TheGlenlivet said:

Is it not possible that Apple could have x86 chips in development?  They do have like a million billion dollars....

No, its not. Unless apple managed to collect enough unicorn horns and magic fairies I don't see any way that apple could ever obtain an x86 license.

[oneeyedlittleman]

Just now, sazrocks said:

No, its not. Unless apple managed to collect enough unicorn horns and magic fairies I don't see any way that apple could ever obtain an x86 license.

Something smells proprietary 

[BuckGup]

I am all for this as long as they don't bring in traditional Apple rules. If they make every part of a computer they can optimize it beyond belief. But they better not make it so only certain programs run on Apple CPUs and stuff like that

[BuckGup]

4 minutes ago, Nicnac said:

it's only going to be for their mobile devices I bet. Good news I'd say all in all

There mobiles devices are already all Apple made and intel just produces them

[Razor01]

2 minutes ago, TheGlenlivet said:

Is it not possible that Apple could have x86 chips in development?  They do have like a million billion dollars....

 

 

Although Glenlivet is one of my favorite drinks, nope not going to happen lol.

[PocketNerd]

1 minute ago, sazrocks said:

No, its not. Unless apple managed to collect enough unicorn horns and magic fairies I don't see any way that apple could ever obtain an x86 license.

Exactly, the last thing Intel wants is another competitor in the CPU market. If Apple does drop Intel (like it had in the past?) then at least Intel will only have to truly worry about AMD and ARM.

Apple would keep their hardware strictly within their own eco-system, afterall.

[Vode]

I think they'll use AMD chips before they go ARM.

[DrMacintosh]

I like how some people are thinking Apple will stick with ARM for their entire lineup. That clearly is not happening. 

 

This news can only mean that Apple is looking into transitioning their low end Macs (MacBook and Mac mini) to ARM CPUs. Not necessarily their A series either, they could break out of the thermal limit and power ceiling of their current mobile devices and expand out like they do with the iPads by taking an X at the end of the SoCs name.  

 

It is also possible that Apple may ditch their partnership with Intel for their Desktops and Pro laptops and I would speculate that they would be more than willing to license x86 and actually become a manufacture of CPUs for themselves. Apple could certainly do it, they have more than enough money to get something like this off the ground and into a real product. 

 

Alternatively they could make their own architecture but that would be a massive shit storm for the Mac and it would be basically dead in the water if they switched to something proprietary that could not run x86 applications. 

[sazrocks]

1 minute ago, BuckGup said:

I am all for this as long as they don't bring in traditional Apple rules. If they make every part of a computer they can optimize it beyond belief. But they better not make it so only certain programs run on Apple CPUs and stuff like that

Well I mean how would you suggest they get an x86 program running on an ARM (or otherwise non-x86) CPU?

[mynameisjuan]

1 minute ago, BuckGup said:

But they better not make it so only certain programs run on Apple CPUs and stuff like that

It will be that way, not by Apple though. 

 

There is already a difficulty for devs to make a program compatible for Windows, Mac and linux....now that ARM is thrown in the mix, I would expect more of a focus on one platform or the other. 

[ToastFromDiscord]

RIP Hackintosh if they do that

[BuckGup]

2 minutes ago, sazrocks said:

Well I mean how would you suggest they get an x86 program running on an ARM (or otherwise non-x86) CPU?

Apple magic. Honestly I don't know

[sazrocks]

1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

I like how some people are thinking Apple will stick with ARM. That clearly is not happening. 

 

This news can only mean that Apple is looking into transitioning their low end Macs (MacBook and Mac mini) to ARM CPUs. Not necessarily their A series either, they could break out of the thermal limit and power ceiling of their current mobile devices and expand out like they do with the iPads by taking an X at the end of the SoCs name.  

They would be shooting themselves in the foot. There would be very limited program compatibility, leaving the macs with ARM (or otherwise non-x86) processors more like an ipad-style walled garden than a PC.

3 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

 

It is also possible that Apple may ditch their partnership with Intel for their Desktops and Pro laptops and I would speculate that they would be more than willing to license x86 and actually become a manufacture of CPUs for themselves. Apple could certainly do it, they have more than enough money to get something like this off the ground and into a real product. 

No one doubts apple has enough money to develop their own processor; the main issue is actually convincing intel to license x86, which I would consider next to impossible.