Apple's Path to Arm-Based Macs Could Start With a New 12-Inch MacBook

[NickName99]

With macOS going to ARM, it'll be interesting to see if Apple creates their answer to MS Surface Book.

It’s a fun topic to think about. They seem to want to keep iOS/PadOS and Max OS X separate, so I don’t think this is part of their short term strategy.

The surface is kind of a crummy tablet, combined with an underpowered laptop with limited application support. I don’t think that’s the direction Apple is taking. 😂

 

[triangletechie]

Hopefully a new 12" Macbook will have at least 2 USB-C ports this time.

 

[nordique]

For me the exciting thing about ARM chips is the prospect of a fanless, amazing battery experience with performance to match

I’ll be disappointed if the battery life doesn’t get an upgrade as a result ofARM

 

[Bug-Creator]

A super cheap LED and some plastic would do it.

The top of the MacBook is super thin, so you would either add to that or risk having that LED being visible on the display side.

 

[jerryk]

Dave2D predicted this a month ago.

 

[notjustjay]

Nope. First one will be a new 16"-ish MBP. New architecture won't be adopted other than by early adopters (developers, etc.). Those people don't want a low-end 12" machine.

I think it would be the exact opposite. Who is the target audience for a 12” MacBook? Someone who wants thin and light, on the go, basic performance, excellent battery life. They want to access their email and surf the web and do light editing of documents, YouTube, Spotify, ... nothing crazy.

All of which exists with full ARM support on the Mac App Store. (Possible exception: Microsoft Office)

In other words, they’re pretty much ready to go. As opposed to someone who wants to buy the 16” MBP to run Creative Cloud or DaVinci Resolve or other pro apps that will depend on a rebuild from their developers.

 

[Kylo83]

They better not stop bootcamp

 

[DNichter]

Seems like a logical move. I am all for moving to their own chips if it helps them tighten up the quality of macOS. Better yet, use iPadOS and just expand on it's capabilities for the Mac - better windowing, external drive support, all Apple pro apps (along with other partners), and improved multitasking.

 

[seek3r]

No chance this being in a pro machine or desktop. Dedicated GPUs required x86 instruction sets, so how would an ARM play with an AMD GPU?

Why would dedicated GPUs require an x86 CPU? There are plenty of systems around that pair an AMD or Nvidia GPU with an ARM CPU already for example, including first party solutions from both those companies currently or in recent memory...

For that matter dedicated GPUs were used in PPC Macs not all *that* long ago..

 

[gleepskip]

I think it would be the exact opposite. Who is the target audience for a 12” MacBook? Someone who wants thin and light, on the go, basic performance, excellent battery life.

If only the keyboard would detach and have a touch screen, it would be a great alternative to the iPad.

 

[macsplusmacs]

Dave2D predicted this a month ago.

Lots of people predicted it.

It makes the most sense as a first Arm/Mac. Not rocket science here.

 

[RowellE]

MacBook ARM 12” would be my next MacBook purchase if it comes to fruition. I would buy that so fast.

 

[goobot]

The 2019 version of the butterfly keyboards seem to work fine. Kinda a shame when they finally fixed it they abandon it.

 

[rp2011]

I wonder if it will even have fans. iPad Pro doesn't...

Well the Apple TV which runs on an A10x has a fan and it’s also quite chunky compared to a laptop

 

[AppleWarMachine]

I wonder if it will even have fans. iPad Pro doesn't...

It won't, as the previous Macbook (12 inch) didn't, which will make it better than the Air

 

[Internet Enzyme]

I was kind of hoping we don't go back to the 2016 days of a MacBook line-up that's confusing and stupid.

I dont think it makes any sense for them to revive the 12-inch when they have a similarly svelte 13-inch MacBook Air which presumably has always sold way better than the 12-inch MacBook ever did.

 

[iReality85]

Apple needs to leave the butterfly keys dead and in the grave.

 

[theluggage]

Nope. First one will be a new 16"-ish MBP. New architecture won't be adopted other than by early adopters (developers, etc.). Those people don't want a low-end 12" machine.

Except the main initial advantage will come from improving the performance of the lower-end MacBooks with low-power CPUs and integrated GPUs. Getting the big "pro" apps (and all their plug-ins, drivers etc.) across will be the longest job, plus they need to build a workstation-class A-series chip - MBP 16 customers won't be the ones rushing out to buy the first "commercial" ARM Mac.

With the PPC to x86 switch, they started with a slightly kludgey tower system (basically the first Hackintosh) that was only available to registered developers. My guess would be "same again". Now that could be anything from a customised iPad Pro, a Mac Mini or - indeed - a 16" MBP chassis but it most likely wouldn't be on general sale.

The 12" Macbook would be the best choice for the first "real" ARM Mac - it will get the biggest advantage from the mobile-class A-chips, mitigates the risk because it doesn't "replace" any existing model and 12"-MB customers are the ones most likely to live without big "Pro" apps.

I think a much better approach than just a switch is to have dual processors. An ARM and an Intel CPU over the next five years.

What would that achieve? They'd still be dependent on Intel's erratic release schedule, they'd still have to design the cooling and battery to deal with the worst-case of the x86 and ARM running flat out and the whole thing would be more complex and expensive. If they're gonna switch to ARM they need to switch to ARM and just run two ranges side-by-side for a limited period.

I suppose that what they could do is make a Surface Book style machine where an ARM-based iPad docked into an Intel base... but why not just buy a MacBook and an iPad and have the advantage of two systems - given all the work Apple have put in to iPad/Mac inter-working?

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Seems like a logical move. I am all for moving to their own chips if it helps them tighten up the quality of macOS. Better yet, use iPadOS and just expand on it's capabilities for the Mac - better windowing, external drive support, all Apple pro apps (along with other partners), and improved multitasking.

Agreed, although iPadOS has a ways to go before it is a good fit for a device like this, I think.

Still, I'd love for Apple to bring back the iBook name for devices like this one.

LTT did an interesting video regarding the iPad that echoes my sentiments for the most part. Not everything, particularly his attitude towards the iPad. He's a PC fanboy after all...

 

[DaveN]

Naw... the first ones will be a small test box like a Mac Mini and be sold to developers. Then a year later after developers had time to iron out bugs with the move, an updated Mac line will be released. Pretty much what Apple did in the switch to Intel.

 

[Azrael9]

AN 12" Macbook can make sense since the intel generation were too slow, an 6 core ARM cpu with Apples Gpu, can make from the 12" macbook twice as powerful than the last intel generation,and from 10 hours battery life to reach 12-13 maybe

I think so.

Intel's cpus are running hot and hungry. That's the polar opposite of what Apple wants.

And that affects Apple's design choices of products.

Azrael.

 

[filmbuff]

I don't think Apple is going to start off with some power device for developers. I think they're going to start with the ultraportable device and advertise it as already running all your favorite ios apps. Of course new software would have to be developed over time but I think they have plenty now to support what most people do. I for one have more iPad apps that I wish I could use on my laptop than MacOS or Windows apps that I wish I could use on my iPad. (ex: Foreflight, Jeppesen, Snapchat, Burner, Genki, Uber Eats, etc etc.) A lot of these things have websites that aren't full featured or just suck. Basically if they make an ultraportable laptop that can run all that stuff and comes in black I'm sold.

 

[macfacts]

My first generation tesla model s disagrees with you.

Your tesla wasn't made by apple.

 

[Azrael9]

Agreed, although iPadOS has a ways to go before it is a good fit for a device like this, I think.

Still, I'd love for Apple to bring back the iBook name for devices like this one.

LTT did an interesting video regarding the iPad that echoes my sentiments for the most part. Not everything, particularly his attitude towards the iPad. He's a PC fanboy after all...

Sound video. I caught that last night. As the iPad grows the edge cases against it fade. A Mac 'ARM' chip product will take care of everything else in time. Staring with Macbook 12 inchers. Probably.

But it's interesting that they have the 'tug of war' for this 'review.'

Azrael.
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But for the Mac Pro? That's a different beast all together.

People once thought it impossible that Apple would have their own CPUs at all. Let alone mobile/phone/pad ones that beat the daylights out of the competition. Or breathing down Intel's neck with the i7 taking a beating in some benchmarks.

I wouldn't bet against Apple bringing a beast to the Mac Pro table.

Azrael.
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Naw... the first ones will be a small test box like a Mac Mini and be sold to developers. Then a year later after developers had time to iron out bugs with the move, an updated Mac line will be released. Pretty much what Apple did in the switch to Intel.

I'd expect a dev box of some sort at WWDC.

Azrael.

 

[trace594]

I hope they don't goto ARMs for MacOS. Now I could see Apple releasing a more laptop form factor version that run iPadOS, to compete with the Surface better.

Now I'm been using Macs for long time. First being Mac 512k. Now for most of the old school guy out there probably remember Mac Clones. Well for those to work Apple licensed them a ROM chip which would allow it to run the Macintosh OS.

I think Apple is going to down that path with the T2 chip as a type of "ROM" that runs MacOS. The T2 evolves into a unified hardware for allowing the unification of the core OS. Catalina, creates a volume for the core OS and then a second for everything else. That along with all the T2 does, and Apple taking plays out of their old play books I think that could be a possible direction they are going.

Just my opinion of course.