Apple to Move from Intel to ARM Processors in Future Laptops?

[res1233]

Microsoft isnt switching over to just ARM. They're just making Windows compatible on ARM. For their Windows 8 Tablets most likely.

GL on getting people to start making ARM binaries for windows 8 which only runs on tablets who happen to be extremely unsuccessful. If Microsoft makes an ARM version of windows 8 for tablets only, then windows-based tablets will be even deader than they are already.

On a side note: All current ARM processers are designed for very compact and tight spaces where power efficiency is THE most important thing. Regular laptop/desktop CPUs are not, to the same extent anyway. ARM has yet to show us what it can deliver in that area, so who knows. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[KnightWRX]

Microsoft isnt switching over to just ARM. They're just making Windows compatible on ARM. For their Windows 8 Tablets most likely.

Bingo, surprising it took 10 pages for someone to point out the obvious. It was starting to get funny reading about "Windows 8 on ARM!" as if that points to anything as far as laptops/desktops go.

It's not like Windows running on something other than x86 or x86_64 is surprising anyhow. Windows NT had ports to PPC, MIPS, Alpha and more recently ia64 during it's long history (that dates back to 1993).

 

[MorphingDragon]

GL on getting people to start making ARM binaries for windows 8 which only runs on tablets who happen to be extremely unsuccessful. If Microsoft makes an ARM version of windows 8 for tablets only, then windows-based tablets will be even deader than they are already.

Microsoft could just extend CLR to run on ARM platforms, then a lot of C# projects could be easily ported.

 

[ciTiger]

Ant there you have it folks! A new rumor theme that will last forever or until Apple changes architecture... lol

I do think that the battery would be the most to benefit from this but I don't think that it will happen any day soon. Even 13 is soon... But there might be one "new" product with it.. Maybe just one Macbook Air or something...

 

[MattInOz]

Can always have a system with ARM AND x86 CPUs.

And intel could make both of them for Apple.
Replace the chipset with an A6 that can run standalone in low demand workflows and seamless switch on CPU or and gpu as demand picks up.

 

[Jon the Heretic]

Better be false rumor

I can't think of a worse idea!

If this happens, my 25+ year love of the Mac ends. Only the 68K--> PPC transition was smooth and effortless. The Intel transition was worth it for native Windows support but painful and costly.

I have already pledged never to upgrade to Lion -- bunch of useless features in exchange for a big upgrade cost of my Macs? No thanks; keeping useful expensive apps outweigh useless new features any day.

IF they go to ARM, tha that that's ALL folks! After the dreadful Intel transition, never again will I follow like an Apple-scented Sheep (first lost all of my Classic apps, then my Carbon apps, and now all of Rosetta apps???) You can't trust Apple to maintain Intel compatibility beyond a few years, and my apps have a much longer life than that. I AM NOT MADE OF MONEY!!! Bite me on so many levels.

I like my iOS devices---but if this happens, my next laptops/desktop will be Windows 7-based. PCs are better media hubs anyway for iOS devices since Apple doesn't fleece you by forcing you to have the latest OS and hardware like they do with the Mac just to sync your iPhone/iPad. I'd prefer to keep my Macs but I am already passing on Lion on my MacBook and 24" Intel iMac; I would be more than fine with passing on new Macs as well and saving a wad o' money. I have plenty of iOS devices to play with.

 

[ciTiger]

Of course they will move to ARM, everyone will. Google is allready running their data centres on ARM based servers, Windows 8 will run on ARM as well, Apple is investing huge amount of money into their A4, A5 chips. The main problem of computers nowadays is power efficiency and not computing power, because most of the computers allready are overpowerd for what their users usually do with them.

Quite true... Most but not all... And Apple prizes themselves on having a "professional" line. So some products would have to remain out, but Apple usually likes to stick to one thing...
But I really think we are still a few years away from it...

 

[MattInOz]

Double post

 

[Just "Vinnie"]

The stock price dictates all...

...and all is good as it stands now. Let Intel deal with the R&D. They've actually done pretty well.

Besides, I don't want a mobile processor in my macbook.

Mac applications would be unable to run on the new ARM processors without some sort of emulation layer. Mac applications would have to be recompiled to support the ARM processors.

Yeah right, this will happen.

 

[scupking]

Intel makes some great processors. It would be a bad idea to move to ARM. Sure keep ARM in the mobile world like the iPad and iphones but don't bring them to laptops and desktops. Can't wait to see how Intels ivy bridge is next year.

 

[millerb7]

Quite true... Most but not all... And Apple prizes themselves on having a "professional" line. So some products would have to remain out, but Apple usually likes to stick to one thing...
But I really think we are still a few years away from it...

Quite not true... as the fact of google already running datacenters on arm is just a fallacy.

 

[Dr McKay]

GL on getting people to start making ARM binaries for windows 8 which only runs on tablets who happen to be extremely unsuccessful. If Microsoft makes an ARM version of windows 8 for tablets only, then windows-based tablets will be even deader than they are already.

On a side note: All current ARM processers are designed for very compact and tight spaces where power efficiency is THE most important thing. Regular laptop/desktop CPUs are not, to the same extent anyway. ARM has yet to show us what it can deliver in that area, so who knows. We'll just have to wait and see.

Windows is making a version of Windows that works on ARM and the regular processors, so ALL the software works for it. They wont be separate versions.

 

[iSee]

Crazy... but not as crazy as it sounds

I doubt this, but here's why it could happen:

1. It's very likely that Apple is maintaining OS X (at a certain baseline of functionallity) on alternative CPUs -- including ARM. They clearly have a history of this and it has proven to be very valuable when they've had to switch.

2. ARM processors of 2013 or 2014 might be significantly more competative with intel than the ones being used in phones and tablets today. I think a lot of the disbelief on the idea of this switch is focusing on the idea that current ARM processors running full OS X, but that's not how it would be.

3. Apple has proven several times that they are willing and able to pull off this kind of architecture switch smoothly. When 68000 CPUs stagnated they moved to PPC. When PPC processors stagnated and intel CPUs jumped ahead they moved almost seamlessly to Intel. If any company can figure out how to do this without a hitch, it's Apple.

4. Cocoa-based apps will move over fairly easily. They're aren't too many important Carbon-based apps left, with some major exceptions. I think Office & iTunes will be Cocoa by then; Apple doesn't care about Adobe.


But realistically, Apple will only do this if there is a significant long-term win.

And I don't see it what that could be... certainly not by 2013.

If there is *anything* to this rumor (which I doubt -- how do a bunch of barely literate idiots get inside info on Apple's long term plans?), it's just Apple keeping their options open as usual.

 

[zorinlynx]

Why would they do this? Intel processors give among the best performance per watt on the market, and have power saving modes so advanced that you can get 8-9 hours of regular usage out of a Macbook Pro that is also one of the fastest laptops on the market when pushed hard.

I hate these unfounded rumors; they make people hesitant to invest in a platform. If Apple changes processors in the Mac it will likely be to AMD CPUs, which would be just fine as it would barely require software changes at all.

Even a low end Intel x86 CPU... hell, even an Atom trounces the ARM processors. They're different architectures meant for different purposes.

 

[drewyboy]

All I have to say is thank goodness 90% Of you aren't running companies, especially apple. So many short sighted ppl. Great workers I''m sure but bad visionaries. All options must be considered when a company is looking at long term plans. Doing the opposite is how you kill a company by saying, keep things same and forward ho! By long term I mean 10+ years out.

 

[leetlamer]

Lmfao. There is absolutely no way they are going to put ARM chips in desktop or laptop computers in the near future.

Its not gonna happen. You can't beat Intel in performance.

ARM is good because its low power. Thats great for phones and tablets, but for freaking desktops you need performance.

 

[geta]

Apple only went with intel because IBM was never going to be able to make a G5 laptop chip. Why are people so closed minded when it comes to change?

its not about 'closed minded' , some ppl's working with the mac's for living, and not only playing games, watching movies D\L mp3.... !

im still working with PowerMac G5 - yap you heard right, G5 !
i've got no problem to finish my projects with it, but i do have a problem with all the new programs i need for my work.... they not support the old CPU
so now i need to upgrade to new MacPro that will cost me €3000 + the extra cards (the one's im using it PCI... so i need to upgrade them to PCI-e) coz of that.

so if they will move to the new CPU's, it will append all over agin..... couple years after the move, all the programs wont support intel based macs....

 

[Gemütlichkeit]

This is the most ridiculous thing to appear on the MacRumors front page in quite some time.

agreed

 

[smoketetsu]

Oh this rumor rearing its ugly head again. First of all is intel really stagnating so much that they would want to make this switch?

Also doesn't anyone realize that just because an OS runs on a different architecture that doesn't mean all the apps made for it will suddenly run with 100% compatibility and speed? When I say this I mean that for Windows as well. So Windows 8 is going to have an ARM version. Good luck running Crysis 2 on that (for starters.. just an example).

Also simpler applications may just need a recompile. But there are many others that would need much more than just a simple recompile. There are also many many others that wouldn't get either treatment and simply wont perform well or have good compatibility (or even work at all) for a long long time if ever. I know some developers who probably would laugh at you if you told them it'll just be a simple recompile for them. That kool-aid wasn't true in the transition to x86 either. We still have software that hasn't made the transition that would benefit from it but will simply by orphaned when rosetta is killed off in Lion. I hear people fretting because of that and having to scramble to get x86 versions of that software whether it be through bootcamp or WINE.

Speaking of which; when apple switched to x86 they gained a lot of compatibility benefits that would be dumped if\when they switch to ARM. When going from PPC to x86 I quickly started finding more software becoming available or possible to get going due to the compatibility increase of the new architecture. We would be taking a step or more backwards with ARM. Like for example there was quite a bit of software had intel specific optimizations or functions that became available for use in OS X when updating them to intel or universal binaries... this includes Windows software that ran very well because no actual emulation was involved.

Of course many casual users wouldn't care about any of that.... and there's a lot of front facing iOS software that could be easily ported. Like if an applications's engine is already available for both it's already easy to make a Mac and iOS version of the application. But the whole platform would become a lot less appealing for someone like me. I never used rosetta much as on my Core based Mac it really only worked well for me for the simplest things... like a text application I would use to post to a blog.... some application with 2D graphics.... CPU emulation tends to be dog slow and this is on the currently best performing desktop CPUs.

So you may look forward to this possibly happening but I don't. I guess I could see Apple doing it especially since they seem to be keen on having a post-PC world. But in my opinion they'd more likely dump the Mac altogether and have an iOS dominated future in the cards and if you want a Personal Computer you have to get a non-apple PC.

It's good for a company to keep its options open but just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. But then again I guess I could see them doing it and waving goodbye to those who don't like it.

 

[macdouche]

haha

So I just bought a new 4 core Sandy Bridge iMac tonight and now this news breaks. Is ARM actually building anything in any way shape or form that competes with the Intel X86 stuff right now or is this just vaporware at this point?

Yeap, your new iMac is now obsolete, and I'm sure you were planning on doing so much with it. LMAO

 

[powers74]

move

So they can customize/design their own chips. I've been predicting this for years now.

 

[res1233]

Windows is making a version of Windows that works on ARM and the regular processors, so ALL the software works for it. They wont be separate versions.

So do you mean microsoft is implementing universal binaries? as in, intel windows apps will run on the ARM version? This would be a very new thing for windows if that's what you mean. If microsoft was any good at copying, they would have learned that lesson from Apple since the 68k/PowerPC transition. It works every time when going from one architecture to another, or from one word size to another.

 

[chadley_chad]

A switch ....

... Arm haven't got a leg to stand on!

 

[cincoaranas]

Moving away from Intel in their notebooks and desktops would be a HUGE mistake in my opinion. Intel is the big dog and they have the resources to keep innovating. I guess if they plan on making everything iOS then it makes a little more sense, but for true blue OSX machines Intel has the muscle.

I think they can pull it off. I watched as they went from Motorola 680X0, to PowerPC (which was huge) and then to Intel (hell froze over!) So this happening would not be the least bit surprising or concerning.

 

[MSlaw]

This would actually be the logical thing to do. (in the future) Offload more and more onto the GPU (which is way more powerful than any CPU out there anyway) and develop the CPUs in house. The customer could possibly get cheaper and more powerful macs.