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Seems to me apple wants to start fabricating chips now that chips have pretty much hit the wall in terms of performance.

I just don't see a real performance boost with the new chips. And now that I purchase machines in a much, much longer cycle I STILL don't see the performance boosts like you used to.
 
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Intel processors >> Apple processors, by a long shot.

Except in Apple hardware. In Apple hardware, Apple cripples Intel CPUs so that Apple's other products won't look so bad. Now, Apple calls it a feature to improve battery life. But call it what you will, it still results in lower performance, which Apple, for some reason, thinks is an extremely important part of the design.
 
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Computers are becoming like trucks, as Steve once said. I don't think a complete architecture restructure is even remotely a good idea right now.
 
Awesome news, it's about time. I look forward to Apple having more control over releases and the feature set. It probably makes sense to go back to the drawing board for macOS, potentially built on iOS, but for the desktop environment. As someone who strictly uses iOS, I think this is great news.

Yeah. I think a lot of people would be interested in iOS for non-mobiles.
 
Yeah not surprised. Apple has been killing it with the A series chip. Let's see what they can do with a workhorse.
 
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Unless Apple is anticipating the decline of Windows and x86 apps, they will be in for a rude awakening come 2020.

I can understand maybe moving more macOS functions to a built in A series or T series chip, but to wholesale replace Intel, seems like a bad bet. Unless this will be a 5 year transition, where you will have maybe a low power Intel processor for some legacy x86 apps.

Apple might also be hoping iPad apps will be mature enough by 2020 (just ruin the surprise, they still aren't). This might be an ongoing part of the over consumerization of the company to just target people who want expensive looking devices with limited functionality.
 
Well, so it's beginning. I wonder how many people will choose to move on from Apple due to lack of X86 support. I for one will not be buying a Mac that I cannot run windows on

While not exactly the same thing and I understand your point, Apple did make the PPC -> Intel transition way better than what I was expecting before the official announcement. So I give them some leeway this time. This does concern me when it comes to viability of that rumored Mac Pro that's been so long in the making...
 
I can’t decide if I’m happy or upset; all depends how it would be handled.

Having apple co trip everything could mean faster updates and better integration which are both good things. However it could also mean absolutely **** software support.

I’ve had Mac’s the last 10 yearsand have seen just how much better companies have gotten for supporting MacOS. If they all need to completely re-write their code to make Mac versions again (as they did with PowerPC) I can see things once again becoming very dark for Apple.

I don’t want to go back to Windows but I’ll have to if none of my software works on Mac anymore.
 
Yes, its going to be something like iOS, but in desktop/laptop form. I love the ability to use terminal and do tasks, or run any OS, I so choose.

As much as I hate the idea of the Mac moving away from Intel CPUs, I don't think they'd lock the platform down like iOS simply because Macs are used as development systems and you need to be able to write, run and debug your own code on development systems.

Of course if they DO decide to start telling me what I can and can't run on my Mac that'll hasten my exit from the platform. I just see it as unlikely because the developer and enthusiast uproar would be deafening.

iOS devices have been restricted from day one; nothing has ever been "taken away". They are more like appliances and thus most people including myself put up with walled garden restrictions there. Not so much with Mac.
 
The day Apple stop putting intel chips in their Macs is the day I stop buying them.
I absolutely have to have full windows compatibility as 100% of my customers use Windows and 90% of the development we do is for Windows.
I used Macs during the PowerPC days but only transitioned to fully using Macs once they started with Intel chips (using Microsoft Virtual PC was a nightmare).
Recently I've started using more Microsoft surface devices but have also kept faith with macs, but this would be the last nail in the coffin for them :(

And Parallels or Fusion won’t allow you to do so?

Parallels and fusion are virtualization platforms - if Apple move away from x86 you need emulation which will be orders of magnitude slower so I'd say no, they won't allow you to do so in an effective manner
 
Oh no, not this **** again.

Exactly.
Same crap.
Apple is not dumping Intel. Custom ASICs are not the same as processors.
Taking an ARM processor with license for a phone is a whole different ball game than making a desktop or laptop CPU.

I have worked for 30 years in the tech industry and this comes back every 12-18 months and it's just not going to happen. Intel can make processors because they drive process technology.
They design at the transistor level. They use their own cell and memory libraries. They set the design rules.
They have FAB facilities and proto FAB facilities where they can turn wafers and are not tied to TSMC or Samsung.

Can this just die?
 
Not sure why people talk about this transition as if Apple wouldn't be aware of the potential drawbacks to doing it. If it really is something they plan to do, then they're likely to have an even better plan in place than the one that existed for the PowerPC to Intel change. That said, I'm not entirely convinced that this is what they're really going to do by 2020.
 



Apple is planning to transition from Intel chips to its own custom made Mac chips as early as 2020, reports Bloomberg.

Apple's initiative, reportedly code named "Kalamata," is part of an effort to make Macs, iPhones, and iPads work "more similarly and seamlessly together" according to unspecified sources that spoke to Bloomberg. Apple already designs its own A-series chips found in iPhones and iPads.

imac-pro-after-effects-800x660.jpg

The Mac chip plans are said to be in the early stages of development and the transition from Intel chips to Apple chips could involve multiple steps, starting with the "Marzipan" initiative coming in iOS 12 and macOS 10.14 to allow developers to create a single app able to run on both iOS and macOS.

With its own chips, Apple would not be forced to wait on new Intel chips before being able to release updated Macs, and the company could integrate new features on a faster schedule.Apple has already begun using custom designed T1 and T2 chips in its MacBook Pro and iMac Pro machines, and the company is said to be planning to integrate additional custom co-processors in Macs coming later this year. The custom chips will also be used in the upcoming Mac Pro, which is in development.

The T1 chip, included in the MacBook Pro, powers the Touch Bar and authenticates Touch ID. The T2 chip, in the iMac Pro integrates several components including the system management controller, image signal processor, SSD controller, and a Secure Enclave with a hardware-based encryption engine.

Previous rumors have suggested Apple is interested in creating its own ARM-based core processor chips for its Mac lineup in order to reduce its dependence on Intel. Apple is also rumored to be pursuing development of its own modem chips to also reduce reliance on both Intel and Qualcomm.

A move away from Intel would have a major impact on Intel, with Apple providing approximately five percent of Intel's annual revenue. Intel stock has already dropped following the news.

Article Link: Apple Plans to Ditch Intel and Use Custom Mac Chips Starting in 2020


So far the effort to make the software experience "seamless" across the iPhone and Mac has just resulted in really crummy Mac software that looks like it belongs in a kindergarten. If this gets rid of Boot Camp support it will cause me to seriously consider buying a PC. Honestly I have already considered it, but haven't pulled the trigger. It would be my first PC purchase ever in my 25-year computing history.

If they maintain Windows boot support and all software compatibility, then I would hesitantly look forward to this being a good move.
 
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