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What uncanny timing-- a couple of days after Intel comes out with their 3D chip thing, sending ARM's share price tumbling to artificially affordable prices, this rumour comes out which, if widely accepted, would boost ARM's share price greatly. Someone could potentially make a lot of money out of this. Especially as Semiaccurate's sources are anonymous, I reckon this rumour should be treated with great scepticism.

I didn't think ARM's stocks would be so volatile.
 
I was a little worried until I saw who wrote the article. It's Charlie Demerjian and I've never seen a tech journalist as full of **** as he is. No need to worry, Apple ain't switching to ARM chips in their Macs.

Completely agree. Apparently these days if you have the title of analyst or have had articles published on an established website you can say what ever you want about Apple and it will be discussed on every podcast, newsite and forum as if it is plausible because people want to talk about Apple.
 
What uncanny timing-- a couple of days after Intel comes out with their 3D chip thing, sending ARM's share price tumbling to artificially affordable prices, this rumour comes out which, if widely accepted, would boost ARM's share price greatly. Someone could potentially make a lot of money out of this. Especially as Semiaccurate's sources are anonymous, I reckon this rumour should be treated with great scepticism.

Demerjian probably just made it up himself to get hits or he now hates Intel too, or maybe X86, who knows.

"Well, for several years now, Charlie Demerjian has been waging a one man war against the GPU manufacturer Nvidia for reasons that nobody understands. In 2009 his articles and writing have become increasingly deranged to the point where the companies’ PR department has had to publicly refute his rants multiple times and to add insult to injury, Google News now categorizes his new website, www.semiaccurate.com as satire."

http://doazic.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/the-cult-of-charlie-demerjian/
 
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I could easy imagine a hybrid solution as many others. On source level there is for 85% of programs few changes required; given only using "official" APIs. Ok, that a guess.
An entry level iMac with eight ARM cores would easy serve all needs for most user incl some light image processing. Apple would have full control on HW/SW.
Advanced and power user will have intel&Arm dual solution, BTO. Similar to the hybrid GPU today.
Another more stupid idea could be that Intel put the ARM core in their own chip and run actually both at same time ... Just dreaming ...
 
Unless ARM suddenly make a really great range of desktop cpus within a year I cant see it happening. The switch from PPC was bad enough. Classic environment was terrible.
 
Wouldn't a new CPU have to be much faster than the equivalent Intel chip to make it worthwhile? Not just equivalent. Wouldn't it have to be able to run previous generation software in emulation for a period of years.
 
Both this rumor and the recent rumor about the iOS devices moving to Intel as a CPU manufacturer are rumors about an upcoming Intel ARM processor it seems... These don't have to be taken separately, this can be the same rumor as Apple is moving to consolidate all their line-ups into 1 processor family and 1 processor vendor (meaning better volume purchases).

Let's not forget that Intel used to manufacture the StrongARM line of processor after acquiring it from Digital Equipement Corporation, so they already have experience in this line of work.

How well would ARM laptops work ? Let's hope better than the ARM netbooks that are sold. I wouldn't trade my Intel laptop for one right now.
 
Wouldn't a new CPU have to be much faster than the equivalent Intel chip to make it worthwhile? Not just equivalent. Wouldn't it have to be able to run previous generation software in emulation for a period of years.

Yes, Arm would have to make significant performance increases. You would need a faster ARM processor than Intel ones if you want to emulate them. So in a year will Arm have a desktop cpu of emulating Intel's current sandybridge processors at a decent speed. I doubt it very much.
 
I'm aware of that, but the last time Intel promised ground breaking CPU technology we ended up with the Pentium 4 and Pentium D series.

No. Their introduction of FinFETs is similar to the edge they had with the high-k metal gate process until not long ago.
 
I can only see the Macbook Air and maybe the Mac Mini move to ARM. ARM Processors are not ANYWHERE fast enough to meet the current Quadcore i-Processors on the speed.
 
Intel is spending $9 billion to upgrade its fabs to 22nm. Building all of them from scratch would be much more expensive. ARM's current market cap is $7.5 billion.
 
Intel is spending $9 billion to upgrade its fabs to 22nm. Building all of them from scratch would be much more expensive. ARM's current market cap is $7.5 billion.

ARM does not make chips. They license technology and core designs.
 
Not a possibility.

The real reason Apple moved to Intel was because of this

133145-macsales_2008q2.jpg


Nothing really to do with performance, performance per watt etc. Apple just waited until Intel was gaining over PPC to use those as an excuse. Running on Intel means being able to run Windows. Also means brand recognition of Intel, which is a comforter for the technically challenged.

Move away from Intel and sales will tank. Even if other vendors offer better chips, which they certainly do.
 
But until Intel releases technology using the new transistors people dumped arm stocks for essentially hype,(?) Which is why I'm surprised.

I'm not surprised about people getting overhyped. Just look the "3D" thread here.
 
wow! so much anger!?

I saw this coming since Apple announced the A4. If there is one thing Apple likes, it's control. That is exactly what they get with the A4/A5 processors.
 
I'm not surprised about people getting overhyped. Just look the "3D" thread here.

Like I understand the benefits the new design could bring, its just that I'm a bit cynical when it comes to CPU enhancements, especially after Cell B.E. and the original Phenom architecture.

Intel's hype machine is also very efficient. :rolleyes:
 
If ARM are creating a new architecture to compete with the x86 then Apple will make sure that their OS works on it - just in case a good reason emerges for a switch. If there is any basis whatsoever to this rumour - then this is probably it.
 
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