Obviously, few, if any of those with positive responses make their living from their hardware/software and understand the need to try and plan for the future with some degree of accuracy when investing five figures or more in Apple. Clearly, Apple is showing every sign that they are wholly abandoning professional users if there is a grain of truth in this article...as if no new Mac Pro, the Final Cut fiasco, and other missteps weren't enough.
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Apple Considering Switch From Intel Chips in Future Macs
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Maybe Apple will do some custom silicon with AMD and Imagination Technologies.
Apple has the cash and brain power to make a cheap, high performance chips that fits their business model and products better than an Intel off the shelf solution.
Apple has the cash and brain power to make a cheap, high performance chips that fits their business model and products better than an Intel off the shelf solution.
But Apple could provide a compatibility emulation layer for a few years before dropping it without notice.
It's happened before.
But Microsoft is fully supporting three architectures with Windows 8 (x86, x64 and ARM).
Even though AAPL has dropped to $584, the facts argue against you.
Just do it.
Stop using the Mac, or anything Apple.
I think Apple will miss you very much.
Microsoft is pushing for apps trying to stay relevant in an increasing tablet world & much too late.
My take is while I see ARM even for Laptops one day, trying to make ARM chips as fast as their x86 counter parts ( Such as desktops ) is just going to make it more power hungry, one of the advantages of using ARM in the first place.
They still made money. A little profit is still profit, even if it is being outprofited by something else.
Even if the Mac line overall was never too huge, the Pro is a pretty heavily used computer in the high end computer graphics industry, and would likely sell a goodly amount if Apple were to release an update. It's not like it needs a complete redesign, either. Just a new mobo, processor, a few extra modern ports (USB3 and Thunderbolt), and it's good to go. It'd be a minimal investment on Apple's part, and they would make money.
You do realise that ARM isn't Apple's own chips, they are a British company who Apple have worked closely with for a number of years and at one point had a share in them but don't at the moment. And before anyone says it, they Apple won't be able to buy out ARM.
Apparently the naysayers do not foresee that future.
Companies do not beat each other, better technology beats outdated ones.
just because i have some dislike for apples form over function direction in the unnecessary line of Desktops, doesn't mean i like something more than apple.
you're probably black and white like steve jobs - "if you don't like it, don't buy it" which is bs escapism at best. the simple fact is, apple has a great ecosystem, and a very complete one. and a better experience on the OS, mobile and computers. since no one else makes it as good, it leaves us in a marriage where were not getting everything we want sometimes.
Sigh
Some of us create content and absolutely require as much power, disc space and memory as we can get.
Some of us create content and absolutely require as much power, disc space and memory as we can get.
Some people in this thread keep constantly bringing up the Windows RT, how it runs on ARM processors and how you might be able to dualboot into it in your ARM Mac. Unfortunately there are few things why this is impossible:
1) Microsoft doesn't sell Windows RT by itself. There's no way to buy it anywhere and install on your ARM-based tablet/laptop/desktop etc. The only way you can get it is to buy a new Windows RT tablet (and in this case Apple would have to license Windows RT from MS, we all know how likely this would be).
2) All Windows RT tablets are required to use a feature called Secure Boot which pretty much makes dualbooting to a different OS or installing it on a 3rd party (non-approved) hardware impossible. You might be able to hack it, but it's certainly something that Apple wouldn't support on their devices anyway.
3) Since Windows RT doesn't include an x86 emulator, it cannot run traditional Windows programs and games that are made for the x86(-64) version. The only way to install software on those devices is to download it from Windows Store, but even that doesn't automatically make every Windows 8 app compatible with RT. This also means that your Steam library won't work on any Windows RT device and you shouldn't expect any major upcoming games to work on it either.
So no, you wouldn't be able to boot any Windows version on your ARM-based Mac.
1) Microsoft doesn't sell Windows RT by itself. There's no way to buy it anywhere and install on your ARM-based tablet/laptop/desktop etc. The only way you can get it is to buy a new Windows RT tablet (and in this case Apple would have to license Windows RT from MS, we all know how likely this would be).
2) All Windows RT tablets are required to use a feature called Secure Boot which pretty much makes dualbooting to a different OS or installing it on a 3rd party (non-approved) hardware impossible. You might be able to hack it, but it's certainly something that Apple wouldn't support on their devices anyway.
3) Since Windows RT doesn't include an x86 emulator, it cannot run traditional Windows programs and games that are made for the x86(-64) version. The only way to install software on those devices is to download it from Windows Store, but even that doesn't automatically make every Windows 8 app compatible with RT. This also means that your Steam library won't work on any Windows RT device and you shouldn't expect any major upcoming games to work on it either.
So no, you wouldn't be able to boot any Windows version on your ARM-based Mac.
Of course they are considering it. As a multi-billion dollar company, Apple needs to consider all options. To do otherwise would be negligent and idiotic.
It doesn't mean it has to happen. But at the very least, this could be played as Apple trying to tell Intel: "Get your act together. Mobile is where it's at for years, and what have you done lately?"
And just maybe Intel will call Apple's bluff... prodding Intel to start competing with chips that are competitive with ARM, competitive in the mobile device market. When Intel does that, EVERYONE benefits, even Apple benefits (because then Apple could choose between ARM mobile processors or Intel's mobile processors).
It doesn't mean it has to happen. But at the very least, this could be played as Apple trying to tell Intel: "Get your act together. Mobile is where it's at for years, and what have you done lately?"
And just maybe Intel will call Apple's bluff... prodding Intel to start competing with chips that are competitive with ARM, competitive in the mobile device market. When Intel does that, EVERYONE benefits, even Apple benefits (because then Apple could choose between ARM mobile processors or Intel's mobile processors).
(see arm chromebook)
Hum...
Let's take it once better. Haswell with its 22 nanometer process will even further eclipse the ARM related chips.
If they have an ace up their sleeve it had better be damned good otherwise I'll just go with a self-built box.
Let's take it once better. Haswell with its 22 nanometer process will even further eclipse the ARM related chips.
If they have an ace up their sleeve it had better be damned good otherwise I'll just go with a self-built box.
if this is the case then people using adobe edit softwares for video will completely move to windows now. this is just as dumb as when they released final cut x.
Foolish idea
The switch to Intel CPUs gave Apple the biggest boost in PC sales in decades. There are many of us who buy Apple hardware and never run MacOS on it. Take the x86 platform compatibility away and I guarantee our organization will never be able to buy Apple hardware again (just like we were unable to do so before they switched to Intel). No Intel (or AMD) and sales will tank.
The switch to Intel CPUs gave Apple the biggest boost in PC sales in decades. There are many of us who buy Apple hardware and never run MacOS on it. Take the x86 platform compatibility away and I guarantee our organization will never be able to buy Apple hardware again (just like we were unable to do so before they switched to Intel). No Intel (or AMD) and sales will tank.
The majority of people do not care about quality.
Believe me, people want cheap, cheap allows them to have more junk.
I believe the majority of those who buy from apple do care more about quality
Yes.
What i meant to convey with my post is:
Apple takes risks, we all know that.
It just surprises me that we often forget that Apple can only beat the cartels - Windows and Androids by being different.
Why those members of the cartel copy Apple:
They copy Apple for blurring the difference.
If there is NO Intel inside, and with a better chip inside Macs the better!
Wow, this is really sad. Don't you people like competition? Poster after poster in here saying "I will only use a desktop/laptop if it has and X86 and Windows." Hows that for competition?
Personally I would love if Apple did this. More competition the better. Microsoft has been stagnating the PC for far too long and its about time to change.
And for all of you that said switching to Intel x86 was the best thing apple has done. How did that work out? A hand full of switchers went out and bought Macs and then bought the competitors OS anyway? Apple took what, maybe a few percent away from Microsoft marketshare? It's about time Apple did something bold with the PC and finally blow away Windows and users reliance on it.
Personally I would love if Apple did this. More competition the better. Microsoft has been stagnating the PC for far too long and its about time to change.
And for all of you that said switching to Intel x86 was the best thing apple has done. How did that work out? A hand full of switchers went out and bought Macs and then bought the competitors OS anyway? Apple took what, maybe a few percent away from Microsoft marketshare? It's about time Apple did something bold with the PC and finally blow away Windows and users reliance on it.
What custom chips were they using?
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I don't really give a @#$%. I'm sticking with my Mac Pro anyway, and it has an Intel CPU. I couldn't care less if desktop CPUs stagnated forever.
Well let me ask a stupid question because I really don't know. Would it be the same instruction set? Would they have rewrite OS X (XI?) and other apps to run on the arm processors? Would existing apps written for intel-based machines run on these arm machines? Or would there have to be a new "rosetta" to support intel on arm for a couple of years or so, until Apple decides we've run that way long enough and abruptly yanks intel support entirely?
The Mac market share is too small to do stuff like this. It would make it harder to develop Mac versions of software that is mainly made for Windows.
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It's not the same instruction set.
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It's not the same instruction set.
You guys
Crystal balls
Wait for the near future and then, comment. When you see some pro apps running on ARM chips we'll remember these comments!
As for Apple abandoning optical drives I thank them for that, they are slow media and take up some space, and tend to disappear, remember floppy disks?! Audio cassettes?! And you can always buy an external drive, do not fear that!! There are external USB floppy drives out there.
And for Windows matter! It will be a bless!! For me of course, I need Windows for nothing, I bought a Mac for running a Mac system.
As for Apple abandoning optical drives I thank them for that, they are slow media and take up some space, and tend to disappear, remember floppy disks?! Audio cassettes?! And you can always buy an external drive, do not fear that!! There are external USB floppy drives out there.
And for Windows matter! It will be a bless!! For me of course, I need Windows for nothing, I bought a Mac for running a Mac system.