Apple Considering Switch From Intel Chips in Future Macs

[macosxuser01]

Don't do it!!!! Nooooo

[MOKHAN]

Please don't Apple!

[seamer]

Naturally, not being an expert I'm allowed to be wrong.

But isn't the switch from custom chips to intel one of the main reasons Apple started gaining a foothold in consumer/developer interest?

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by Prof.

If this turns out to be the case, I won't be buying from Apple anymore...

Or just build or buy a PC. It's not hard nor really that expensive.

[kcamfork]

Here's what they'll do. They'll make their own chips so they won't have to pay the intel premium anymore, but they'll charge just as much, if not, more for their new "A13" powered laptops. And the most powerful programs they'll be able to run is the same garbage that's on iOS.

Apple, please don't.

[LagunaSol]

Sounds like a really, really bad idea.

Some of us depend on Windows virtualization. It's a necessary evil.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by seamer

Naturally, not being an expert I'm allowed to be wrong.

But isn't the switch from custom chips to intel one of the main reasons Apple started gaining a foothold in consumer/developer interest?

For computers but Apple's largest money maker runs ARM chips so even if their Macs stopped selling as much because of a move away from Intel they'd still be fine.

[andiwm2003]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

You would need to know what ARM has in the next few years. For that we wait and see.

Unlikely that ARM has compatibility with Intel chips. So Windows won't run and tons of Mac OSX software will need to be repurchased. Regardless how good ARM chips get compared to Intel at that time the switch will be a pain.

[thevofl]

Originally Posted by troop231

Maybe we'll get an ARM powered PowerBook G5

Next Tuesday for sure!

[Apple Poptart]

Apple is getting good at getting into bed with manufacturers and then screwing them over.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by andiwm2003

Unlikely that ARM has compatibility with Intel chips. So Windows won't run and tons of software will need to be repurchased. Regardless how good ARM chips get compared to Intel at that time the switch will be a pain.

Folks ..there are plenty of people that run Macs and don't give a flying $%^&*( about running Windows.

Business are moving to tablets and even Microsoft is supporting ARM.


X86. Put a fork in it.

[Nathan20]

If it benefits the consumer then they should go for it.

Can see this happening for OS XI

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by Apple Poptart

Apple is getting good at getting into bed with manufacturers and then screwing them over.

Seriously?

[Hessel]

and Apple isn't the only one. Microsoft is experimenting with it too, with it's ARM version of Windows 8; Windows RT.

not to mention all the android based products that are also running on ARM processors. I think Intel is going to have a tough road ahead!

[Lesser Evets]

I just posted speculation about this in the Mac Pro forum yesterday. It's been an obvious step for the past year or two.

If Apple can gear up serious processors, and why not, they can switch to designing their own and then being able to engineer their own timetables as the hardware needs instead of waiting for Intel to come up with a McProcesssor they can use.

[kcamfork]

Originally Posted by Sneakz

Remember how Apple had x86 OS X being developed alongside PPC OS X? Wouldn't surprise me one bit that Apple has the same going on with ARM

Or they'll just give you iOS Jumbo.

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by mc.stever

Unless they have a way to be able to run windows as well as it is run now in Fusion etc., this will be a very bad idea. Doesn't matter how much power they save etc., the ability to run windows was one of the reasons I came back to the mac.

This is true for a lot of enterprises I imagine. I have a MacBook Pro at work because I do a lot of FCP work. But my company was more than happy to buy one because I could also have everything I needed on the PC side via Fusion.

If Fusion wasn't an option - I would likely have to switch to Adobe Premier and/or have two systems. And since there's a lot of legacy videos in FCP - that could be a huge pain for updated those videos.

[aristotle]

I see a lot of whining and handwringing over a "rumour". Give me a break.

If they do start looking into ARM then they would most likely resurrect the Universal Binary and just start encouraging developers to target both architectures. Not a big deal. They would continue to sell both side by side for a while and let the market decide.

Stop panicking. Microsoft is testing the waters with the ARM based surface right? Are you panicking over that?

[Woodcrest64]

Originally Posted by Sneakz

Remember how Apple had x86 OS X being developed alongside PPC OS X? Wouldn't surprise me one bit that Apple has the same going on with ARM

You are probably right Sneakz. It also makes sense if they keep pushing OSX closer to iOS. Apple has the money to do it. 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.

[bse3]

Originally Posted by I8P'CS

This is the reason I;m waiting for the 2013 iMacs and beyond, I can sit and wait as I have 2011 Model but like the design of new iMacs besides Apple always bumps things on 2 Gens. Hope this is one of them.

Although the article says they won't change for a few years, hope thats wrong.

Why would you want a way slower CPU in your computer?

[azentropy]

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.

[mono1980]

Apple will probably just kill OSX all together and you'll be forced to buy iOS devices.

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by aristotle

Stop panicking. Microsoft is testing the waters with the ARM based surface right? Are you panicking over that?

Panicking? No - people are just voicing their concerns.

And why would people panic over what Microsoft is doing if they own Macs? Most people here, I'm assuming, who are responding to this news have Macs.

[KnightWRX]

Originally Posted by Sneakz

Remember how Apple had x86 OS X being developed alongside PPC OS X? Wouldn't surprise me one bit that Apple has the same going on with ARM

You mean like how Linux is developed for :

- x86
- MIPS
- SPARC
- PPC
- Alpha
- ARM
- IA64
- tons of others I'm not thinking...

There is nothing surprising about Apple having a portable codebase if a bunch of open source hippies can do it.

But ARM ? ARM ? What's the value there ? Performance per watt is no better than Intel. The reason ARM processors are so energy efficient today is because they lack the sheer number crunching capabilities of x86 chips. Intel proved with Medfield that x86 is as power efficient as ARM, if they also sacrifice number crunching. There's even an Android phone that runs on a Medfield SoC!

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by azentropy

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.

It's not important anymore. Mobile generates 60% or more of Apple's profits.