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Apple changing Macs to ARM processors, ditching Intel processors on their Macs!


RV_

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Apple did a major chip and OS change in 2005/2006 forcing folks who wanted to stay with Apple, to buy new computers because they abandoned the Power PC Chips which would not run OSX, and were not able to compete with the Intel products and chipsets for speed and reliability at that time. Now they are switching to Cell phone ARM architecture and processors and architecture for their Macs in the next year or two. Yes it will require all new computers for Apple fans. They dropped support for the Power PC chipsets made by AIM (Apple/IBM/Motorola) software and hardware faster than many liked last time they switched 14 years ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerPC

If you remember back in December 2012 Microsoft introduced Windows 8 and immediately there were hybrid two in ones (detachable screen for notebook book and tablet in one) from several manufacturers. I bought the Surface RT from Microsoft which was a gorgeous screen and touch tablet. The RT was ARM Architecture like Apple is now going to. It was a great, very fast for the time, better than HD resolution tablet. I loved it. The problem was it could not do any POP or IMAP email except from Outlook.com to put it simply. They had a desktop with a basic Microsoft Office in ROM and no Windows programs could run on it. That was a mistake as there were few Apps and Apps were all that could be loaded on it like the iPads today that cannot run Mac programs that run on Intel chipsets.

Microsoft then made the Surface Pro, which used an Intel chipset and could use both Surface Apps and Windows 8/8.5/and ultimately Windows 10 full programs and Apps! I sold my ARM architecture Surface within a month and Microsoft did not make good on email support for it until the following August. Glad I sold it while it was worth something.

I have since become a two Surface Pro and one Surface Go family all with typecovers and Surface pen. I like having both quick apps and full programs.

This will be the first time Apple will be using an Apple specified chipset but they will still have others fabs do the actual manufacturing if not their major chip supplier Samsung. Microsoft does almost none of their manufacturing except for Surface. And those chipsets are made by Intel.

Interestingly enough today in one of the articles I saw the term Wintel (Window/Intel) again for the first time since the Apple WWDC in 2005. Before that it was usually the "Evil Wintel" as Apple tried to portray a good guy bad guy until they started using the same systems Microsoft used.

So while Microsoft used the same chipsets in their tablet/hybrid Surface line to do the same software on all form factors Apple is doing the same but going off on their own using cellphone and iPad chipsets improved some to do as well as Intel they think. But the biggest advantage is a cost reduction which it remains to be seen if lower prices will be passed to the consumer in lower prices.

We will find out at WWDC.

Excerpts and sources:

"The new processors will be based on the same technology used in Apple-designed iPhone and iPad chips. However, future Macs will still run the macOS operating system rather than the iOS software on mobile devices from the company. Bloomberg News reported on Apple’s effort to move away from Intel earlier this year, and in 2018. Apple shares were up less than 1% Tuesday while Intel was down less than 1%."         Source:  Intel Analysts Say Apple Move Is Latest Reason for Caution

"Apple is using technology licensed from Arm Ltd., part of Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. This architecture is different from the underlying technology in Intel chips, so developers will need time to optimize their software for the new components. Cupertino, California-based Apple and Santa Clara-based Intel declined to comment."

Source:  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-09/apple-plans-to-announce-move-to-its-own-mac-chips-at-wwdc?sref=gni836kR

"The 4-star analyst believes the switch could help Apple “reduce cost and improve control,” as well as facilitate cross-platform development. This includes the use of iOS apps and games on Macs. There are over 1.8 billion apps in the iOS App Store, and using ARM processors would make the transition a lot easier than it would be with the x86. Additionally, the move could “improve battery life and reduce the size/weight of a notebook PC.”

Yet, the change could bring additional risks, and also raises a few questions. What if x86 development accelerates over the next few years, outpacing Apple’s efforts? What if the cost of ARM development outpaces the revenue generated by Macs? Furthermore, should Apple want to move back to Intel’s line at some point, the move could prove to be a costly one."

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-rumored-move-arm-processors-183900722.html

"The project, codenamed Kalamata, has already been approved by Apple executives, sources say. It’ll likely be a multi-step transition meaning Apple could start by simply switching a single model to a new processor. Such a strategy would minimize potential issues for both Apple and Intel.

Switching to its own processors seems like the logical next step for Apple. The company already uses custom-designed chips in its iPhones, iPads, Apple TV set-top box and the Apple Watch; Macs are the only products still powered by others' solutions. Switching to its own chips would critically allow Apple to launch products on its own timelines rather than having to be governed by Intel’s processor roadmap."

Source: https://www.techspot.com/news/73981-apple-may-drop-intel-chip-supplier-early-2020.html

Microsoft tried ARM and switched back to all Intel for its own tablets and phones within months. They decided to change back to all Intel x86 chipsets for desktops and laptops as well as their tablets and hybrids.

Apple used Intel for its desktops and laptops. It used ARM Architecture in their iPhones and iPads.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/06/13/apples-shift-to-arm-mac-from-intel-at-wwdc-will-define-a-decade-of-computing

 

 

 

Edited by RV_

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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Hi Pod,

I trust Apple, Microsoft and other vendors for everything over anything Google. See they sell things. They do not want to help advertisers with my info, they want my business. Google only sells our/my information.

Well, I never was in the walled garden save for an hour when I tried to use the iPhone 6 we decided to try new, bought, and on delivery could not transfer my music to it without that bloatware on Windows, iTunes! So within an hour I was trying to cancel my Apple ID and repacked and returned the phones.Then I found I would have a worse less versatile and less powerful phone with iPhones than I get with Android. I received our two new iPhones then canceled my Apple ID within an hour.

They insisted they would not permanently wipe my Apple ID personal info and take me off their servers unless I listened to a 15 minute reading of an Apple disclaimer telling me I may not be able to use anything I bought from them without an Apple ID. I load my music now on 256GB micro SD cards in our Android phones. and Microsoft Lumia phones before them with 128GB cards. No SD cards on Apple!

Now we will wait with our Motorola Play original Z phones projector/speaker/and wireless charging battery packs, and our two year old Moto Z3 phones, until the Surface Duo comes out.

I used the first Macintosh back in 1988 for my SIU Industrial Engineering classes. https://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Personal/Macintosh.html I had my own PC and Commodore systems at home since 1984and was a DOS Master. I didn't get the mouse at first like many folks.  I was underwhelmed by the Mac. I did not like the desktop. Then a year later I got into GEOS desktop with true multitasking, and then went to DR DOS. Since the USAF used the MSDOS systems only. And then we had Windows 95 and MS Office Professional on duty so I had to get them at home. Never needed a mouse when DOS was king, and only after we had them and did our work by mouse I reluctantly gave up WordStar in favor of word. I did like our laser printers much more than the impact dot matrix printers we had with DOS hardware.

I like customizing my computers and phones, and wanted full computers built into my tablets (Surface Pro) that used Windows and full Windows programs and apps.

Now it looks like Apple is going the other way and stepping away from x86 architecture from Intel and AMD in favor of cellphone OS' over time, one product at a time. Dropping non mobile markets like MS dropped the mobile markets. IMHO it looks like they are ridding themselves of desktops and business computers which are minuscule percentages of Apple profits. Linux is waiting to pick up the Apple folks who want PC based performance on their existing hardware. So Apple users can run Windows or Linux on their current x86 hardware and buy those if Apple only does glorified iPads for home and business.

If Apple angers even half of their users as much as they did when they dropped their old Power PC OS in favor of OSX which would not run on their old computers. Apple users, to keep using Apple desktops and laptops, were forced to switch and buy all new hardware and all new software to run Apple securely with updates.

This could really backfire because their current Macs can be used with Windows or Linux with support, if they dump the OSX or whatever the current Mac OS is called on their Macs that are now x86 chipsets.

In other words MS went with their moneymakers and dropped phones and other products that were the same unprofitable small part they did without, as the Mac line is to Apple, from an accounting perspective as the cell phones were for MS.

MS has ARM phones and an ARM Android tablet in the works now with the Microsoft Surface Duo leading the charge this year! https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/devices/surface-duo

So Apple is giving up on Intel and that leaves Intel and AMD making x86 systems the manufacturers of Windows computers use with Windows and/or Linux, supplying all the corporate and Internet server markets as well as folks like me that like our big beautiful screens as well as our Windows tablets.

Apple's problem here is, assuming they don't bleed more market share to Android, which now is king of new phone sales and retention in smart phones, is they can't beat Google or Microsoft.

I foresee some, maybe a lot of, Macs using Windows soon, even Linux, rather than lose their investment in their x86 hardware. Today the software is relatively cheap. Microsoft does not mind being used in the hardware of another company. Apple goes bonkers if anyone actually want to make a Hackintosh because it is cheaper and easier to use any hardware they want, rather than be coerced into buying Apple products.

From MacWorld:

"Statcounter reports that over the January 2018 to January 2019 period Android made up a massive 74.45% of the sector, with iOS way back on 22.85%. The remaining 2% were comprised of 1.1% for KaiOS (a web-based operating system to enhance feature phones), 0.3% Windows (yes, really), 0.28% Samsung, and 0.41% unknown."

Much more current stats in the MacWorld article here:

https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/iphone-vs-android-market-share-3691861/

 

Edited by RV_

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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