I wouldn't laugh this off. Apples been working on very powerful ARM chips.
As a matter of fact this is the future of computers. Not just Apple.
As a matter of fact this is the future of computers. Not just Apple.
One of the huge advantages of Apple going x86 was the ability to basically run any x86/x86-64 OS at close to native speeds (not including GPU). I do this now with daily running Windows XP, Windows 7, RedHat EL 4,5 and 6 VMs.
Going to ARM or some other custom route would negate that.
If this turns out to be the case, I won't be buying from Apple anymore...
Apple would only do this if/when ARM processors aren't "way slower."
The fact that "ARM Macs" that don't replace "x86 Macs" (not 486... Apple actually uses the 686 architecture or x86_64) are already here ? They're known as iOS devices. Windows RT has nothing to do with Windows for x86.
Also seeing as Apple can design this any why they like, perhaps they put an x86 core in the ARM CPU? No reason all the cores have to be identical.
.
It would be interesting, intel dominates at the moment and it would be nice to a see a rival in the high performance desktop market. Not sure where it would leave OSX and developers though.
Sure, but it's not a virtual machine. You don't get bytecode shipped to you and compiled at runtime by this "virtual machine". The developer ships you pre-compiled machine code that is x86.
The "VM" part is not a "VM" like you're thinking : ie, a runtime envirronnement that does JIT compiling or interprets bytecode. Read the sites you posted to actually know what you're talking about.
LLVM is just another compiler with a different model to support multiple architectures.
Assuming Apple comes out with ARM Macbook Airs next year, WHAT makes anyone think the iMacs will switch too?
Will Apple really power the Mac Pro with a cellphone CPU?
LOL LOL
So why exactly does the current Mac Pro come with a three-year old (!) CPU?The benefit would be not having to wait on Intel for processors. I think Intel is mainly to blame for the lagging update for the Mac Pro in my opinion.
If this is true, I guess my 2012 mbp will be my last Mac...
What I'm saying is that Windows came out with ARM Windows and it didn't replace 486 Windows, it supplemented it.
So what makes anyone think that ARM Macs will replace 486 Macs?
Blaha Blah Blah Blah Blah.
Intel doesn't license out x86 anymore. AMD has a perpetual license because of historical reasons.