Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Despite M1 Pro and M1 Max Performance and Efficiency Gains, Intel Still Hopes Apple Will Do Business With It
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
What would be interesting is if there were a hybrid design, a mix of Apple silicon with a mix of Raptor Cove or some other future intel x86 Cove. Codesigned by both companies.
But I don’t really know the point of it if Apple seems to be leaving x86 behind. for now macOS still has an x86 build, but how long will that last?
But I don’t really know the point of it if Apple seems to be leaving x86 behind. for now macOS still has an x86 build, but how long will that last?
What the f foundry business? The foundries were intels weak point! If anything it should be the opposite
Phase 1: Fight - completed
Phase 2: Beg - underway
Phase 3: Yield - pending
Phase 2: Beg - underway
Phase 3: Yield - pending
It does kind of make sense, if you think that the Mac business is about 10% of global personal computer sales. It’s a lot of chips and a significant chunk of profits.
Apple did not move to its own chips just for performance gains. Performance, defined as performance per watt, was an important consideration, but control of their own production roadmap and the ability to design the processors and software together were of equal if not more importance. Baring some change in the industry, like the introduction of quantum computing laptops (as a ridiculous example), Apple will not be giving up designing its own processors.
Who's fab makes those processors and on what process they are made is open for consideration. If Intel can make them better/cheaper than TSCM then they will get the business. But they will be made to Apple's design.
Who's fab makes those processors and on what process they are made is open for consideration. If Intel can make them better/cheaper than TSCM then they will get the business. But they will be made to Apple's design.
yes, im pretty sure Apple would be interested in 14nm+++++++++++++++++
because they cant buy a device with that chip and put the damn thing under a microscope
Are you serious? There's obviously a difference between observing an object and having the blueprints and precise instructions on how to make it.
So much this. I can’t take the article seriously. No one is augmenting TSMC with Intel’s ancient process node right now.
Wait… Apple can still use Intel for NICs. Yeah, that’s how Intel will win back Apple’s business LOL
Remember the Mac Pro professional equipment runs on a Xeon processor chip that has been a tried and true Server and Workstation platform for many years to work 24 x 7 365 days in all kinds of weather conditions and environments so Apple still has an Interest in an Intel Processor. Apple has come a long way with their M processor but not yet reached a level of enterprise class production and operations required by many large companies.
So if you want to play with the big boys, you got to have the hardware that can play with the big boys with the software that there IT production needs. Which still uses bootcamp and Windows 10 OS. so Apple still has a lot of work on their processors so Intel and Mac are still relevant with an Intel processor.
So if you want to play with the big boys, you got to have the hardware that can play with the big boys with the software that there IT production needs. Which still uses bootcamp and Windows 10 OS. so Apple still has a lot of work on their processors so Intel and Mac are still relevant with an Intel processor.
At this point with M1 PRO/MAX out with awesome specs, Intel is not in position to convenience Apple to return to x86 chips becuase that boat is already sailed. But Apple would be happy to give any foundry work to Intel long as Intel can offer the best of the breed fab tech and does at a schedule what Apple wants.
Hell no. Who wants to go back to Intel after M1
Just two days after Apple further advanced its Apple silicon portfolio with the M1 Pro and M1 Max, marking the first professional high-end chips designed for the Mac, Intel is reportedly making yet another attempt to win Apple back as a customer.
A day before Apple's long-awaited "Unleashed" event, Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, said despite Apple moving away from his company's processors, he still hopes that Apple will return to Intel as a customer. Apple announced in June of 2020 its two-year-long transition to Apple silicon for the Mac, and despite Intel's best hopes and dreams, Apple is continuing its momentum to break up with it.
Now, a new report from DigiTimes is further indicating Intel is still trying to win back Apple as a customer. According to the report, Intel, alongside Samsung, is "striving to win orders for Apple's in-house developed Mac processors." Such a move from Apple would mean the company no longer relies entirely on TSMC for the production of its Mac processors, a decision that sources quoted in the report say is unlikely.
Intel's actions and comments publicly and seemingly behind closed doors could not be further apart. While Intel's CEO publicly expressed his wish to have Apple back as a customer, the company continues to run anti-Mac marketing campaigns targeted towards Apple and the Mac. Oddly enough, these campaigns, which have ranged from "social experiments" to tweets that backfired, all occur as Intel and Apple still work together to an extent.
After the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, Apple no longer has an Intel processor in its entire MacBook (Air and Pro) lineup. Apple still has the larger 27-inch iMac, the Mac Pro, and a high-end Mac mini running with Intel processors. All of which are expected to be updated next year, with the latter happening sooner rather than later.
An Intel spokesperson declined to respond to our email asking for a comment about the M1 Pro, M1 Max, and Apple dropping even more Intel-powered Macs from its lineup.
Article Link: Despite M1 Pro and M1 Max Performance and Efficiency Gains, Intel Still Hopes Apple Will Do Business With It
Intel is pretty much backed into a corner, they need to embrace ARM, x86 just isn't where its at anymore, but they can't get their process down reliably to the level that TSMC has so even if they did they aren't competitive. Then add to that that if they switch to ARM, everyone on legacy software is going to switch to AMD, and if they try to keep x86 and develop ARM simultaneously they will fall behind in both to competitors. This is a big problem and will require risk, and huge expenses to solve. That said, the United States government needs to make sure Intel succeeds because we already see the problem with our supply chain being so reliant on companys outside the USA. At this point they need to start spending big money to poach talent, get their process node down, increase their fab capacity in the USA and try to work with Microsoft on a real plan to transition from x86 over maybe a 10-15 year period for enterprise customers.
And remember the Mac Pro is still using and selling a Intel Xeon processor Mac, so they still have a vested interest in a Intel processor. Replacing an enterprise level machine with a new processor like a M is not that easy and throwing in a couple processors on a logic board and you have the solution.
You don't want to piss off your enterprise customers that have different business class requirements than a individual user or a small company.
Totally agree!! This would be like designing your own new greatest wiz-bang 5G radio chipset and then deciding to have Huawei manufacture it for you. (I know, I know, Huawei does not do chip fabs - just an analogy)
Intel spent their last 10 years on top b/c of their manufacturing lead. Their chip design creds were not horrible but were mostly "we own x86, suck it!". Intel would rip off the M1 design in a heartbeat. That said, it would not be as simple as copying the M1. Apple's ultra wide execution front end mostly cannot be replicated over to x86 arch. Intel would have to make the choice to shift into ARM.
