Apple Tested a MacBook With the A15 Chip

[MacRumors]

An internal Apple kernel debug kit suggests Apple has tested a MacBook with the A15 chip, alongside a separate A18 Pro-based MacBook that appears to be closer to a shippable product.

The information comes from internal kernel debug kit files used by Apple engineers. The kit was accidentally released on Apple's website earlier this year, but it was quickly pulled after information started leaking out of it.

Within the Mac-related entries, there is a line that explicitly describes an unreleased MacBook configuration running an A15 chip. The row appears under a project label "mac14p" on a platform labeled H14P. MacRumors believes this A15 MacBook corresponds to the codename J267.

In the same dataset, there is also a separate MacBook entry tied to the A18 Pro. It has the identifier J700 and is described as using an A18 Pro chip with a "Sunrise" wireless subsystem attributed to MediaTek. Compared with the A15 test configuration, the A18 Pro MacBook entry reads more like a defined product configuration, since it is identified with a specific internal codename and accompanying subsystem details.

It is also highly unlikely that Apple would release a Mac powered by the A15 Bionic in 2026, almost five years after the chip was introduced. A MacBook with the A18 Pro chip would be markedly more capable, future-proof, and in-step with the company's current selection of chips.

The A15 MacBook was almost certainly used as an unreleased test platform ahead of widely reported plans to release a low-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip. The original Apple silicon Mac mini Developer Transition Kit featured an A12Z chip, but all Apple silicon Macs available to consumers have featured M-series chips.

Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will launch next year, featuring the A18 Pro chip, a 13-inch display, and silver, blue, pink, and yellow color options.

Article Link: Apple Tested a MacBook With the A15 Chip

 

[ignatius345]

Would love to see some bright, saturated colors again.

 

[rappr]

It’ll be fun to see people that have thought they’ve needed huge amounts power in their laptops get by just fine with this.

 

[Kidseeghost]

The only thing I am worried about is that they are going to use the A chips as an excuse to close down macOS for the cheaper models and eventually for all macOS. MacOs is probably a thorn in Tims side.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

The only thing I am worried of is that they are going to use the A chips as an excuse to close down macOS for the cheaper models and eventually for all macOS. MacOs is probably a thorn in Tims side.

About 3/4 of the programs my wife used for school aren't available in the app store. This thing would be dead on arrival if it's locked down like an iPhone.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Most users haven't actually needed more power for years now. The M1 is still way more than most college kids need.
Sadly, a lower-end Mac would also mean we won't get the absurd deals we see now on M4 Air and Mini.

 

[Kidseeghost]

About 3/4 of the programs my wife used for school aren't available in the app store. This thing would be dead on arrival if it's locked down like an iPhone.

I agree but shareholders are more important than costumers today (which is stupid) and we all know the App Store is Apples cash cow for services and they probably want the same thing for macOS. Right now the macOS App Store is a ghost town. Probably the one employee who mentioned that it will be DOA was kicked out of the meeting.

 

[Nik]

Bring back the 12" MacBook!

 

[minik]

Will get one if it pairs with a better resolution display.

 

[ignatius345]

About 3/4 of the programs my wife used for school aren't available in the app store. This thing would be dead on arrival if it's locked down like an iPhone.

Or the iPad, for that matter. Which, when you think about it, already exists as Apple's locked down baby Mac.

 

[crsh1976]

It’ll be fun to see people that have thought they’ve needed huge amounts power in their laptops get by just fine with this.

It's fine in that not everybody needs a workstation to browse social media, but Apple doesn't do dirt-cheap - how much will this cost vs iPads and MBAs?

 

[Kidseeghost]

Bring back the 12" MacBook!

Yes please. It was ahead of its time and the chips were not ready for that hardware yet. But now that M chips are used in iPads its possible to bring it back. But it will probably kill iPad Pro sales so it will not happen.

 

[alphaswift]

Good to know MacOS can fully run on A-series chips. Now if I could only get them to run MacOS on my Ipad, I'd be a happy camper.

 

[BigJohno]

The sun will come up tomorrow.... I mean come on. Of course they tested this. They also built a Mac mini with an a12 lol. All the M series chips are A series chips at their core.

 

[Non-Euclidean]

The only thing I am worried about is that they are going to use the A chips as an excuse to close down macOS for the cheaper models and eventually for all macOS. MacOs is probably a thorn in Tims side.

Right, lets totally blow up a huge chunk of sales by sabotaging the platform for professional use or anything serious.

Lets make sure a bunch of developers have no reason to bother with Macs any more.

Lets torpedo the market for Macs and Macbooks.

Makes sense to me. Not.

 

[StudioMacs]

The only thing I am worried about is that they are going to use the A chips as an excuse to close down macOS for the cheaper models and eventually for all macOS. MacOs is probably a thorn in Tims side.

The M-series is just an A-series with more cores, so there’s no need to worry.

The M1 chip was a scaled-up version of the A14 Bionic, with more CPU/GPU cores and a controller for Thunderbolt.

Apple made a video of Tim Cook putting an M1 chip in the iPad, bringing the power of the Mac to the tablet. Actually what Apple did was bring the power of the iPad to Mac.

 

[Kidseeghost]

Right, lets totally blow up a huge chunk of sales by sabotaging the platform for professional use or anything serious.

Lets make sure a bunch of developers have no reason to bother with Macs any more.

Lets torpedo the market for Macs and Macbooks.

Makes sense to me. Not.

Consumers will not even notice it if they close down macOS on the lower cost models. Its about the MacBook A chip and probably MacBook Airs. They are not going to do it for the Pros. But it will automatically effect the Pro versions too. The macOS store will get more Apps which will lead to more Apps be available in the App Store for all macs and Tim will be happy getting the 30% cut.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Would love to see some bright, saturated colors again.

Me too. I'm so tired of monochrome; black, gray, another type of gray, blue that might as well be black...sigh

 

[Kidseeghost]

The M-series is just an A-series with more cores, so there’s no need to worry.

The M1 chip was a scaled-up version of the A14 Bionic, with more CPU/GPU cores and a controller for Thunderbolt.

Apple made a video of Tim Cook putting an M1 chip in the iPad, bringing the power of the Mac to the tablet. Actually what Apple did was bring the power of the iPad to Mac.

I can see Apple doing macOS and macOS Pro/Max/Ultra or whatever name they come up with. They will find a way to sell it to the masses. Be it the weaker A series chip (did it with stage manager only to bring the feature to all iPads) or a different version of macOS.

 

[Return Zero]

A18 is a step up from the M1 in almost every benchmark (except graphics) while using significantly less power. One limitation is I believe it is capped at 8GB of RAM. For this reason I would find it more believable to use the A19 which can use 12GB (or A20 which may be either 12 or 16). Then again, maybe I shouldn't put it past Apple to resurrect 8GB Macs just when we thought they were gone forever, lol.

 

[mlayer]

While I like Apple flirting with the low end, I don't think the A15 would hold up well in the long run, even if it was released in 2022 or thereabouts. My iPad mini 6 with the same chip started to feel pokey a couple years in and I think a MacBook would suffer the same fate.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I agree but shareholders are more important than costumers today (which is stupid) and we all know the App Store is Apples cash cow for services and they probably want the same thing for macOS. Right now the macOS App Store is a ghost town. Probably the one employee who mentioned that it will be DOA was kicked out of the meeting.

There isn't enough of anything on the macOS App Store to sell a MacBook. If it's locked down, it won't sell, aside to a few weird die-hards.

Shareholders lose if these sit on a shelf.

Consumers will not even notice it if they close down macOS on the lower cost models. Its about the MacBook A chip and probably MacBook Airs. They are not going to do it for the Pros. But it will automatically effect the Pro versions too. The macOS store will get more Apps which will lead to more Apps be available in the App Store for all macs and Tim will be happy getting the 30% cut.

Consumers will absolutely notice. Chrome, for example, is the top browser on macOS.

It's simple for me. If they lock it down, I'm gone, and iPhone will be gone along with it.

 

[StudioMacs]

I can see Apple doing macOS and macOS Pro/Max/Ultra or whatever name they come up with. They will find a way to sell it to the masses. Be it the weaker A series chip (did it with stage manager only to bring the feature to all iPads) or a different version of macOS.

I can’t see Apple spending the money and resources to create two separate versions of MacOS, especially when the OS itself is free.

They will do what they always do: offer tiered pricing. They will sell the base model (A-series MacBook in this case) at an attractive price, and then strategically price other models with incremental improvements so customers "upsell themselves.”

 

[bigcuedaddy]

Now we wait for the inevitable delay after delay. Other than their cash cow iPhones, when DIDNT they delay some new product? I’m still waiting for the new Apple TV.

 

[Moonjumper]

A18 is a step up from the M1 in almost every benchmark (except graphics) while using significantly less power. One limitation is I believe it is capped at 8GB of RAM. For this reason I would find it more believable to use the A19 which can use 12GB (or A20 which may be either 12 or 16). Then again, maybe I shouldn't put it past Apple to resurrect 8GB Macs just when we thought they were gone forever, lol.

I agree. A notable point from the article is "The kit was accidentally released on Apple's website earlier this year, but it was quickly pulled after information started leaking out of it", but doesn't say how much earlier in the year. It could have been from before the A19, and development has now been updated to the A19.

As an A series chip would already be a step down from what is currently available, I doubt it will be another step down by using an older generation.