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

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lPHONE said:
Very true. Listen to the man.
There's many analysts that believe ARM will supersede Intel.
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Very well said, considering that right now the Cortex-A9 can do 4 core there is nothing to say that in a couple of years if not sooner they will double that.

I am not sure I can see the Pro running Arm but everything else even maybe iMac running arm of 4 or more core would make some sense. Still it a rummor and we really don't know what Intel will pull out of their bag in the next 2 years which is a long time in the tech sector.

But still possible to see Apple move completely into something not only they have control over but will make their machines so thin we will think it was magic:p
 
leman said:
If ARM is indeed able to make high-performance CPUs, then a move like this would be one of the most significant ones in the computing history. Let's face it: the x86 architecture is a dead end. Its needlessly complicated and builds on obsolete tech. Internally, the modern x86 CPUs aren't even x86 anymore - they decompose, recompile and reorder the machine code as they execute it. The ARM assembly is more suited for modern computing as it is more efficient as the x86 code and allows better CPU pipeline utilization.

The real question is whether ARM is able to create a CPU which is powerful enough to compete with Intel's offerings. The x86 may be inefficient but the sophisticated design of Intel CPUs results in great performance. ARM must really step on it to attain these levels.

P.S. If something like this should happen, I am sure that ARM will include hardware emulation layer for x86 instructions, for compatibility with older software. Any anyway, what does it cost to recompile an application? Indeed: nothing (if the application is competently written, that is).
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I'm sure there will be another big change in processors and software.

ARM sounds a bit like cloud computing: many smaller processors.

It probably depends on the development of the ARM. Who knows what potential is in them.
 
a believable rumor, but it'll be for only some lines of mac!!

Apple will likely introduce a semi portable touch screen mac, that uses an arm chip under the hood for power savings. Since all the touch based software will need to be recompiled with a rethought UI, it's no big deal to ask developers of the Mac App Store to jump on with retargeted software that's not too different from the iPad launch.
 
To all of you who sook about this sites focus on ios devices

Ahhhh Macrumors.

Every time I see a new rumour IOS devices, there's usually a 7 or 8 members that complain that 'This is MAC rumours, not IPHONE rumours'.

Well kids, Here's a whopper of a rumour for you members that keep complaining. Regardless of the fact that it's totally and utterly full of crap, it's about MAC, and it's a rumour. So you can all go and roll around in your sty with glee.

Enjoy.

For the rest of you. Man... this is utter crap.
 
MacRumors said:


[url="http://semiaccurate.com/2011/05/05/apple-dumps-intel-from-laptop-lines/"]SemiAccurate claims to have heard that Apple will be transitioning from Intel processors to ARM processors in the not too distant future.
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Interesting rumour.

I heard the other way around, that Apple will be using Intel as its main processor manufacturer for the iPad,iPod Touch, and iPhone, and will more than likely make that switch within the next year.

Reasons may be because of the ongoing lawsuits between Apple and Samsung, which they currently use.

I heard it enough, that it even got slashdotted.

So why go the exact opposite for the laptops when they would still be with Intel for their other devices? It would make better sense to standardize across the board.

BL.
 
So many derpy comments that just have "omg my mac is gonna be an iOS device, toys toys everywhere "

I seriously cant believe how some think Apple would just destroy itself by putting crappy chips for no reason. If they are going to put ARM in notebooks they have good reason for doing that, either they will be a better choice for the Air or maybe ARM has some serious power chips planned.

u have no idea so stop hatin
 
The headline is wrong.

The rumor is NOT that they would abandon Intel. The claim being made is that they would switch from x86 to ARM.
 
Moving to a different architecture doesn't mean the death of Mac OS - all they need to do is compile it to the new target. Obviously not *quite* that simple, but ARM Mac != iOS Mac

What I'm interested in though is how well any proposed ARM chip could emulate the Core i3/5/7s of today?

If a future MacBook had an 8-core 64-bit ARM chip in that was twice as fast as Intel's offerings, and used half the power (say), but was the same price, the only thing that would stop me buying is if x86 emulation was poor.

Basically, I don't care what processor is used, if older programs can be run *reasonably* well, for a year or so, before they are compiled for the new arch, or superseded by others. I'd be prepared to take a 20 - 30% hit on x86 apps in any interim changeover period.
 
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Umm guys? OS X already runs on ARM. It's called iOS. The developer tools to create this from standard obj-c already exist in Xcode.

Retiring or updating certain legacy API would be pretty easy (with a 3-5 yr time span) to make Xcode easily compile fat binaries that run on either architecture.

Also, what does apple pay for 1k ARM CPU bs intel? Far, far less. This would give apple a very competitive price advantage.

An ARM MacBook air for example could run 100% cool for a very long time.

Finally, heavy utilization of grand central dispatch and open cl (which modern apps like final cut pro x support) could even do all this with adequate performance.

I think the rumor source is making stuff up, but this isn't as far fetched as it sounds and actually fits with apples strategy. Don't be so fast to knock it.
 
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Please Apple, don't do this. You are just finishing the transition from PowerPC to Intel by removing Rosetta from Lion and you're already planning on switching architectures again. Are they TRYING to fragment their Macs?
 
roadbloc said:
Fake. Yet another chipset change would lead to many unnecessary problems.
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Like some others have said - Apple, being so wonderfully customer-experience focussed, wouldn't do this is there weren't some tangible benefits that outweighed the downsides.

Yes, this could be a 'fake' rumour, but it's certainly well within the realms of possibility.

As I mentioned above, the biggest hurdle would be x86 emulation. I would suspect ARM are looking at that closely, and would have some kind of on-chip functionality to speed up that process.
 
Actually you all forget something: Windows 8 (or whatever it will be) is being made for ARM too ... :)
 
BS to the power of FUD ^^

The thing is although ARM chips are pretty good in the low power range right now, nothing says that they will perfectly scale in power for a higher performance range.
Every major player in the chips industry started seeing more and more problems when they started reaching the manufacturing processes ARM will only reach in a couple of years (currently A15 -> 45nm).

High performance is where Intel is very good at, and their announcement of 3D transistor in Ivy Bridge already will only make them way better in performance and power consumption, and all that as soon as the end of this year (first machines probably next year).

Now transition from a software standpoint would be painful, but maybe not horrible...
Apple's compiler already manages ARM architecture, and part of the interest in LLVM is the possibility of JIT compilation.
But a switch of architecture right now would need Apple to ask devs to re-compile their software, and maybe a change from some libraries, all that for an uncertain gain right now and improbable gain in the future (Intel will remain the master in high performance computing).
 
There's no reason why a Macbook Air couldn't use an ARM CPU for multi-day battery life. Heck, force developers to pay a fee to compile for ARM (it's already in place by charging for xcode) and you've basically forced every user to re-buy every app they use, for ARM... that's definitely Apple's MO, and I can definitely believe it.
 
macduke said:
This seems like an inevitable move in the convergence of iOS devices and Mac computers. They will eventually be the same thing. Powerful, robust, thin, power efficient, easy to use touch interface.
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I don't think Macs will move to ARM.

I do think we'll see MUCH more convergence of iOS 5 and OSX Lion than people are expecting - the 2 OSes will truly be released as "partner" OSes.

Perhaps we'll see an iOS laptop - an iPad with a keyboard basically. Perhaps Macs will run iPad apps alongside dashboard apps. Certainly macs will add touch screens as soon as touch screens don't cost too much extra.

Apple will certainly be keeping their options open.
 
I could see it...

Would make sense. Intel's x86 chips serve many masters, most of them not Apple. None of them are optimized for X, let alone iOS. Most of them at the high end are designed for servers and the like, not tablets and laptops. Apple would rather see that precious silicon - and the power it consumes - reserved for things they find important. Not for what Steve Ballmer thinks is important. Or some HP server boffin.

In contrast, Apple designs their own ARM chips now, getting exactly what they want.

I could see this happening. Apple switches their whole product lineup to ARM chips that it designs in house . . .

And that it has Intel manufacture, since Intel is the best fab operation in the world.

Win - win. Intel even makes the chipsets, which it gets to offer to 3rd parties after a period of exclusivity. The business on the whole isn't as profitable as their x86 business, but because of the volume it represents it provides a massive, steady source of income for Intel, and allows them to expand their margins on their x86 business.
 
If Macs are based on ARM they should be able to run iOS apps, ARM Windows 8, ARM Linux, etc. And I wouldn't be surprised if there would be an "x86 Rosetta".
 
So many negative opinions but you may not know that ARM architecture is much more advanced then x86. Why do you think Windows 8 will support it? Because it's a future of home computing. And I'm not suprised that Apple considering it too.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a macbook pro twice as slimmer then 2011 model and that runs as long as iPad no matter what tasks you do?

And after all - why end users even care about CPU architecture? Do you think of your existing computer "Good, that the CPU is x86 based" every day? :)
 
lPHONE said:
Even if ARM DID get ahead, it wouldn't take Intel long to catch up... Then what?
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ARM have been ahead in mobile for well over a decade. Intel haven't caught up yet, admitiely some of that is due to Intel not really trying.
 
I have no idea about the validity of this rumour but if it happens, it will render my VERY expensive pro apps no longer supported...and I think that will be the time to free myself from Apple bondage and return to the Windows fold. Especially if this is a sign that Apple are moving away from "proper" computers and pouring everything into iOS. :(
 
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