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Apple to Move from Intel to ARM Processors in Future Laptops?
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Do you also believe MS wanted IE6 to stick around for 10 years?
If you ask a web designer, yes.
I see what you did thar
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Charlie is still trying to bring nVidia down. Apple won't switch to a slower CPU.
Here we go again...
Hint: Intel is your winner, AAPL. Understand that.
Edit: for you young'ins, this a panel of IBM G5 processors. Specifically designed for Apple. The processor partnership was supposed to be groundbreaking.
Soon after, Apple went begging to Intel and, well, what's the processor brand in the Mac you are reading this on?
Hint: Intel is your winner, AAPL. Understand that.
Edit: for you young'ins, this a panel of IBM G5 processors. Specifically designed for Apple. The processor partnership was supposed to be groundbreaking.
Soon after, Apple went begging to Intel and, well, what's the processor brand in the Mac you are reading this on?
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Trying to graft an ARM processor into an Intel based system seems like a lot of added complexity. Apple doesn't like making things more complicated. Think of how simple and small the logic board is in the iPad.
A ton of design decisions... How do the ARM chip and Intel chip share memory? Do we instead give each separate memory pools? Communication between the two chips... at what cost to performance? Who gets control of the display at what times? I very seriously doubt that a hybrid system will transpire unless Apple has developed some "secret sauce" for dealing with this problem.
Do these two architectures even use memory in the same way?
While you're over here thinking "I can't do bootcamp with ARM" Apple is thinking "Bootcamp will be obsolite when we get done here"
Or Apple might be thinking that Bootcamp will work just fine on ARM when Windows 8 moves to ARM as well.
Or this rumor could just be a negotiating ploy to keep Intel from thinking of raising prices on Apple.
Or both.
Hell, Apple has so much cash they should buy AMD.
Apple can then sell CPUs to the PC manufacturers such as HP, Dell, etc.
Isn't ARM a RISC processor? We just switched from RISC to CISC. And now we're going back? Let me be the first to say this... "Back to the Future." Oh dear lord. This sounds crazy, but who knows. If Apple actually owns the company that makes these processors... it could happen. Anything is possible I do hope that these ARM processors can be used with high quality GPU's. It just seems so odd after all this development and the 3D breakthrough that Intel just announced. And TB. If we're going back to RISC processors, does this mean that Firewire is gonna make a comeback?
I do hope that these ARM processors can be used with high quality GPU's. It just seems so odd after all this development and the 3D breakthrough that Intel just announced. And TB. If we're going back to RISC processors, does this mean that Firewire is gonna make a comeback?
No way. Intel is fantastic, their CPUs are nearly unmatched, and while Intel itself can be finicky sometimes, it's not worth the headache of transitioning again. Not unless ARM has some amazing crap up it's sleeve that will de-rail all of Intel's market share. This rumor makes sense on some low end laptops, maybe, but the entire lineup? Hell no. Plus I've gotten used to being able to run Windows in Boot Camp.
It's taken Apple over a decade to get where we are now. Why would they throw all that away? Not to mention that ARM has absolutely nothing that comes even slightly close to even mid-range Intel chips. And even in two years time, I'm very doubtful.
It's taken Apple over a decade to get where we are now. Why would they throw all that away? Not to mention that ARM has absolutely nothing that comes even slightly close to even mid-range Intel chips. And even in two years time, I'm very doubtful.
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I'm using an older PowerPC G4 and I'm proud of it
Another thought... if this rumor is true, wouldn't this be a great time to buy stock in ARM?
Anyway the main reason why I feel reluctant about this hypothetical (and I stress hypothetical) situation is the potentiality of troubles that would come from transitioning everything again (like others have said).
P.S. Is anyone else slightly concerned with the site's name being "SemiAccurate"? lol It's just a name of course and I'm half joking, but still
It wouldn't blow me away for Apple to have an ARM OS X running somewhere in there laps, hell OS X ran on intel from day one.
But any chance of release seems unlikely until ARM locks down a solid preforming CPU. Although is Apple and Microsoft come up with a good was to have x86 and ARM support in one OS, then both chips throughout Apple line might makes sense.
For now, I see Apple being too close(developing Thunderbold, getting chips early) to leave Intel.
But any chance of release seems unlikely until ARM locks down a solid preforming CPU. Although is Apple and Microsoft come up with a good was to have x86 and ARM support in one OS, then both chips throughout Apple line might makes sense.
For now, I see Apple being too close(developing Thunderbold, getting chips early) to leave Intel.
My first reaction to the headline was, "Oh no, not again..." (having already weathered both the OS9 -> OSX and PowerPC -> Intel x86 transitions)...
But after that initial groan, a few other (more positive?) considerations came to mind.
First, Apple really did do a great job of transitioning from PPC to Ix86... it was far less painful than it could have been. Not perfect, but incredibly well-managed.
Now, OSX Lion is coming, and it appears to contain the beginnings of a convergence and consolidation between iOS and OSX. If we try to imagine where those OS's will be, say, 3 years out (and the hardware as well), by THAT time, it may be as simple as flipping a switch and hey-presto, you're on an ARM device without missing a beat...
I say this because, as devices like iPad evolve over the next few years, the applications written for them will also, and by the time 'higher end devices' like desktops and laptops are lining up for a platform change, those "mobile" app versions will already be 'full featured', and already written for ARM-based devices (I'll use the current Garageband pair - with cross-compatible OSX/iOS versions - as a very early-market example of that future). So, the painful prospect of rewriting/recompiling all your code won't be nearly as bad as it was for the OS9->X transition.
Another consideration is that tomorrow's mobile devices will be far more powerful than even today's desktop/laptops are. It's harder to imagine the future of the desktop/laptop as we know them today.
In fact, now would probably be a good time to remember that what Jobs is creating here isn't just "magical devices"... he's embarked on defining the "Post PC Era"...
It'll be interesting to see where all this leads, but my take on it is that it might not even feel much like a "platform switch" by the time we arrive there...
But after that initial groan, a few other (more positive?) considerations came to mind.
First, Apple really did do a great job of transitioning from PPC to Ix86... it was far less painful than it could have been. Not perfect, but incredibly well-managed.
Now, OSX Lion is coming, and it appears to contain the beginnings of a convergence and consolidation between iOS and OSX. If we try to imagine where those OS's will be, say, 3 years out (and the hardware as well), by THAT time, it may be as simple as flipping a switch and hey-presto, you're on an ARM device without missing a beat...
I say this because, as devices like iPad evolve over the next few years, the applications written for them will also, and by the time 'higher end devices' like desktops and laptops are lining up for a platform change, those "mobile" app versions will already be 'full featured', and already written for ARM-based devices (I'll use the current Garageband pair - with cross-compatible OSX/iOS versions - as a very early-market example of that future). So, the painful prospect of rewriting/recompiling all your code won't be nearly as bad as it was for the OS9->X transition.
Another consideration is that tomorrow's mobile devices will be far more powerful than even today's desktop/laptops are. It's harder to imagine the future of the desktop/laptop as we know them today.
In fact, now would probably be a good time to remember that what Jobs is creating here isn't just "magical devices"... he's embarked on defining the "Post PC Era"...
It'll be interesting to see where all this leads, but my take on it is that it might not even feel much like a "platform switch" by the time we arrive there...
I seriously doubt that this will happen. ARM processors will never be able to compete with even AMD processors, let alone Intel processors. Leave ARM where it belongs. In the tablet/ultra portable market.
Apple's got their hands down Intel's pants as well, don't forget that. Who has exclusive rights to Thunderbolt for now, and early access to the Z68 chipset? That's right, Apple.
Sure, they may be investing in ARM, but to switch architectures again and piss a lot of people off in the process, I think not. I'm saying it's vaporware until ARM delivers with better processors that they have promised (remind you of the 3GHz promise with the G5?) Even at that, they would have to beat Intel, who has better experience, reputation, resources and establishment.
Sure, they may be investing in ARM, but to switch architectures again and piss a lot of people off in the process, I think not. I'm saying it's vaporware until ARM delivers with better processors that they have promised (remind you of the 3GHz promise with the G5?) Even at that, they would have to beat Intel, who has better experience, reputation, resources and establishment.
I wouldn't be shocked if Apple did.. They do have a history of doing this. They have changed CPU type's three times now. Motorola, IBM, and now x86. Consumer out rage didn't stop them. Apple will do what Apple wants to do. Plus Apple has been slowly moving away from being a traditional computer manufacture to being a mobile device manufacture. Ever since the iPod, Apple has been slowly moving away..They're starting to care more about mobile devices and energy efficiency than they do raw power like they use to.
Pretty much all their mobile devices run off of ARM, its only natural to wanting all of their devices, computers included, to run off of the same processor type. I wouldn't be shocked if they already have a computer with an ARM processor running off of full blown OS X liked they had OS X running off of x86 for all those years before they released it..
Pretty much all their mobile devices run off of ARM, its only natural to wanting all of their devices, computers included, to run off of the same processor type. I wouldn't be shocked if they already have a computer with an ARM processor running off of full blown OS X liked they had OS X running off of x86 for all those years before they released it..
I'm using an older PowerPC G4 and I'm proud of it
Another thought... if this rumor is true, wouldn't this be a great time to buy stock in ARM?
About the ARMH stock not necessarily MANY positive bullish things are already priced into the stock price. ARM is trading at a P/E Ratio of about 105 and that's AFTER a recent pullback of 10% or so. Just to put things in perspective Microsoft's P/E Ratio is about 10 Intel's is about 11 even Apple's P/E Ratio is under 17 and they have HUGE growth.
Edit: Full Disclosure I am long ARMH, MSFT, INTC, AAPL
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LOL, sorry but I find this really hard to believe. What with Intel's recent announcement of the 22nm "3D" tri-gate transistor based Processors coming out this year which are even lower power etc... I just doubt Apple could get something as good from an ARM chip.
I guess Apple having more control, a'la the A4/A5 chips in iOS gear is appealing to them.. but if they want so much control, why not buy Foxxcon and all their other suppliers too? (maybe that's their aim with all that cash they're sitting on).
I guess Apple having more control, a'la the A4/A5 chips in iOS gear is appealing to them.. but if they want so much control, why not buy Foxxcon and all their other suppliers too? (maybe that's their aim with all that cash they're sitting on).
You know how long it takes me to create an ARM version of my code on the Mac App Store?
Two minutes.
What makes you think that ARM implies iOS? Apple had a version of MacOS X running on x86 processors four years before Intel processors were released. I'd bet that Apple has a version of Snow Leopard and Lion running on PowerPC (which they don't sell, just to make sure all code stays portable) and a version running on ARM (which is actually a lot easier than PowerPC).
Cost - ARM chips are really cheap. Battery life - they don't take any power at all. Want an MBA with 20 hours battery life?
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This is total BS.
ARM CPUs are far far behind Intel's non-Atom series in terms of performance.
This is due to their RISC architecture. That's also why they consume less power than x86.
If you're saying in 2 years ARM's performance may catch up to current Atom, then, it may be possible.
But compared with Core i series? It's the biggest joke I've ever heard.
ARM CPUs are far far behind Intel's non-Atom series in terms of performance.
This is due to their RISC architecture. That's also why they consume less power than x86.
If you're saying in 2 years ARM's performance may catch up to current Atom, then, it may be possible.
But compared with Core i series? It's the biggest joke I've ever heard.
Oh, NO!
Not yet another hardware transition and emulation.
Apple never picks up the tab for this crap. It's always the user who pays and pays and pays.
Not yet another hardware transition and emulation.
Apple never picks up the tab for this crap. It's always the user who pays and pays and pays.
My so soon, I'm already excited to start waiting for the powerbook which will finally get an "ARM 5" processor .
.If my understanding of processor architectures are correct, the CISC processors have become a hybrid. There's a core part that is probably more similar to a RISC and a pre-processor that translates the CISC operations to the core. At least this was my understanding of the AMD Thunderbird chips from 10+ years ago. RISC chips moved in a similar and opposite direction, adding more instructions. Kind of counter to the original idea of RISC.
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