ARM-Based Processor could double the yearly sales of macs if Apple lowers the price and does not require a fan to prevent overheating.
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Kuo: Apple to Launch Several Macs With Arm-Based Processors in 2021, USB4 Support Coming to Macs in 2022
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ARM-Based Processor could double the yearly sales of macs if Apple lowers the price and does not require a fan to prevent overheating.
I don't think Apple wants that. They made some deliberate choices in the iPadOS cursor not being like a macOS or Windows cursor. It's bigger, and it still conveys "this is just like a finger".
They also chose not to resize UI elements. This is in contrast to Windows 8-era MS Office, where there's a separate touch mode (ugh) where UI elements have bigger padding to increase touch targets. In iPadOS, even with a keyboard and trackpad/mouse attached, you still retain the big targets.
The traditional interface exists; it's called a Mac.
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Source?
wut?
iOS is very much a "computer Os[sic]". It's a descendant of NeXTSTEP, which used to run on workstations, just like macOS is. It's a BSD-like OS, runs dozens of background processes, and has a Mach-derived kernel. This is not some kind of embedded or limited OS.
You're making a distinction that doesn't exist at a technical level.
The limitations exist purely at the UI level, and they're deliberate.
While it is technically true that any background process in a modern PC can have an impact on the CPU benchmark, people that benchmark CPUs are usually very conscious about it and manually quit or disable any background service that might have a measurable negative impact.
Stating otherwise would be like not trusting the measured 0-60 acceleration time of a car because you don't trust that the driver didn't have his foot resting on the brake while accelerating.
At worst, you're looking at a 3-5% discrepancy over different OS configurations when people run a benchmark on a PC.
I don't understand why people expect Apple to lower Mac prices. If Apple wanted to do that, they would.
The baseline Mac has over 1000 threads running in the background, continuously.
My Macbook Pro 13 currently has 412 processes and 1,683 threads running while I do not interact with it.
I have the Apogee Control and Pages open. That's it.
Sorry, but ARM isn't coming to replace X64_86.
Maybe not exactly the same, but it opens up the possibility of adding in functionality that is currently missing, or streamlining things that are more cumbersome to do by touch is what I am getting at. For example, you can't add citations easily on the iPad version of Word, the layout and formatting options are subpar, text selection is a given (system function) hopefully and I'm sure dozens of other niggles I've forgotten since my brief, failed attempt at using the iPad version for productivity I take for granted on a Mac.
I'm sure they'll keep looking for clever ways to add more functionality in there. I just don't think a traditional paradigm is part of that. Like, say, a menu bar.
So? Run Instruments, target an iOS device, and you'll see there's ~300 processes running even while it's locked. mach_kernel alone currently has 333 threads here. You'll also find that many of the processes are the exact same ones because iOS and macOS are closely related OSes.
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ARM doesn't make cross-platform apps easier. Catalyst already accomplishes that. Almost any iOS app already runs on x86; it's literally how the iOS Simulator has always worked.
The x86 and ARM based Macs will probably coexist for some time. However, there is a whole range of users that do not need the advanced functions of MacOS where an upgraded iPadOS will do nicely. I predict that iPadOS will develop into a OS which sits firmly between MacOS and iOS and lend heavily from MacOS in terms of multitasking. iPadOS already supports a new type of cursor, what we lack are hardware for desktop and higher perfomance laptops. Such machines are for "office" user, "Web app" users which is the majority of the user out there (I guess 99%). Specialist software (music, video, photo, 3D modelling, simulations, coding etc) is the vast minority of users. For the "office" users the illustration-, photo, video softwares in iPadOS is probably more than enough.
Microsoft Office need to be more functional but as others have pointed out, there is probably nothing hindering this in iPadOS.
What is more likely to happen is that the iPad range (which are essentially ultraportables), will be complemented with a larger high performing laptop, and an something corresponding to and iMac. Perhaps iPad wait for a completely new Apple chip range and therefore we got the disappointing A12Z. The current Mac line will likely coexist.
Microsoft Office need to be more functional but as others have pointed out, there is probably nothing hindering this in iPadOS.
What is more likely to happen is that the iPad range (which are essentially ultraportables), will be complemented with a larger high performing laptop, and an something corresponding to and iMac. Perhaps iPad wait for a completely new Apple chip range and therefore we got the disappointing A12Z. The current Mac line will likely coexist.
So rather than be hopeful that Microsoft will update the native iOS app to be inline with 365 bar a few, you have already decided it will not improve. I don’t think anyone can comment why Microsoft made certain decisions with its native app but it stands that it does plan on building and upgrading that experience overtime. Similar to most Office native versions of the past. It seems you are complaining for the sake of complaining, I am sure once Apple singles it’s intent to migrate to ARM, Microsoft will respond accordingly. Microsoft has always been good to respond to Apple’s direction even when it moved from PPC to x86 and this is a relationship that is needed. Now how much of an effort Microsoft actually makes to move members to 365 is another story. Maybe just maybe Microsoft limited the iOS version to steer users to 365, have you ever consider that possibility.
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That was the initial step, we don’t know what Apple has planned for WWDC’20 it has to starts somewhere and make the move bi-latera, best to wait and see what develops.
You must be new to Apple, who will defend one choice and then months and years later do the opposite of those sentiments. It’s called marketing and technology evolves, what was not suitable years from now maybe a possibility now. We know that Apple is not keen on introducing macOS with a touchscreen yet the iPad seems it is walking a very fine line by blurring desktop and mobile. Who would have thunk even a few years ago that iOS would gain external attached drive support, a file manager (still limited), mouse and trackpad support, etc. Get the point iPad is going to eventually replace iMac it is what Jobs was signaling that it’s the computer for the masses. You may not see it now and Apple has been taking too long to reach this point but regardless if you like it or not it is coming. MacOS was not designed for touch UX/UI but that does not mean iPadOS cannot gain macOS capabilities and functionality over time.
Short-sightedness
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Well, they just did lower the price of the MacBook Air... twice. While doubling storage. They can’t realistically lower the price of the Air any further, unless they want to sell it at a loss.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see iMacs get a price cut, considering they’ll likely be going all-retina on the next refresh with no entry-level 1080p model. They’ll need something on the low end.
You have no idea how much your post has reaffirmed my faith that at least someone, somewhere understands this concept.
We may (or may not) disagree over whether macOS on Arm is a good idea, whether or not it will happen irrespective of that, but you are approaching this with reality as a basis.
If you have not been paying attention Apple is aligning the iPad to replace the iMac. It seems redundant to release an ARM iMac when we have a capable iPad and the thing limiting it is iPadOS and software titles, development that is cheaper then what is being proposed by many.
They haven't even released an Arm native version of office, 9 years after they started shipping Arm powered devices something related to desktop Windows, and that's literally just recompiling the existing code for a different CPU. There's no reason Office should have any x86 specific code.
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As they say, wish in one hand and crap in the other, see which fills up first.
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I guess so. I only started using Macs when my parents brought home a brand new LCII.
That was the initial step, we don’t know what Apple has planned for WWDC’20 it has to starts somewhere and make the move bi-latera, best to wait and see what develops.
You must be new to Apple, who will defend one choice and then months and years later do the opposite of those sentiments. It’s called marketing and technology evolves, what was not suitable years from now maybe a possibility now. We know that Apple is not keen on introducing macOS with a touchscreen yet the iPad seems it is walking a very fine line by blurring desktop and mobile. Who would have thunk even a few years ago that iOS would gain external attached drive support, a file manager (still limited), mouse and trackpad support, etc. Get the point iPad is going to eventually replace iMac it is what Jobs was signaling that it’s the computer for the masses. You may not see it now and Apple has been taking too long to reach this point but regardless if you like it or not it is coming. MacOS was not designed for touch UX/UI but that does not mean iPadOS cannot gain macOS capabilities and functionality over time.
Short-sightedness
It wasn't the initial step. Yes, the iPad has gained a lot of Mac features (and vice versa). But even the most recent trackpad additions are very deliberately distinct from how they would work on macOS or Windows.
Apple wants to avoid a Windows 8.
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They did, but before the first of those price cuts, they still had the pre-Retina model around.
So the lowest price point of a Mac hasn't actually changed. If anything, it has moved up a little; there was a time when you could get a Mac mini for $499. The cheapest Mac is now $799.
They've also moved the iPad Pro further upmarket in recent years, which they can afford to, as it does more, and as cheaper iPad variants exist.
If they wanted to do a $799 MacBook Air, they would. The CPU isn't stopping them. They could put a Celeron or Pentium in there if that's really the concern.
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Really? They just went through all the effort of designing the iMac Pro and Mac Pro, only to kill them off with an iPad? What on earth are you talking about?
Maybe Microsoft is more interested to focus its efforts on cloud based services to compete with the likes of Google, because you know most office apps have been heading that way for at least 5 plus years. Microsoft has been paying less attention to Office for desktop to be honest. If you don’t like it take it up with Microsoft.
Such a pessimistic view, I am sure you are expecting a 100% equivalent port from x64 to ARM without considering any business aspect of it.
Just because you are a long time user does not mean you have been paying attention and what Apple has been saying and doing lately. I have been using Apple Computers since the late 80’s, so what is your point that you cannot pay attention and read between the lines. Apple of then is not the Apple of recent. They have always been about the experience and that message has not changed though the path has taken many twists and turns.
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Bring cross compatibility of iOS apps to macOS via Catalysts is not the first step to universal apps, really.
I guess Apple designed the G4 Cube went through all that effort only to kill it off. So Apple does not see the iPad as a computer for the masses. iPad has not gotten a specialized OS of its own to expand on iOS. iPad has not gained mouse and trackpad along with cursor support. Yes, we don’t need the traditional arrow or finger cursor but it’s a twist to what was. It’s Apple’s way of innovating what a cursor can be and not what it was.
Makes a lot of sense put in an ARM chip in an iMac runs iPadOS/macOS ARM vice just developing iPadOS capabilities and you have one device to replace further development that has already been done and can pay dividend by expanding the software library on it. I guess people really need external monitor support for an iPad
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Well, aren't you hardcore.
The first? No. There were plenty before.
Is it a step, though? Yes. So much so that you can now sell them as such, and that Apple literally calls that "universal".
Are you saying the iMac Pro and Mac Pro are failures due to design flaws?
Or that Apple doesn't plan multiple years ahead?
So Apple does not see the iPad as a computer for the masses. iPad has not gotten a specialized OS of its own to expand on iOS. iPad has not gained mouse and trackpad along with cursor support. Yes, we don’t need the traditional arrow or finger cursor but it’s a twist to what was. It’s Apple’s way of innovating what a cursor can be and not what it was.
Makes a lot of sense put in an ARM chip in an iMac runs iPadOS/macOS ARM vice just developing iPadOS capabilities and you have one device to replace further development that has already been done and can pay dividend by expanding the software library on it. I guess people really need external monitor support for an iPad
I don't even know what you're arguing here; your attempts at sarcasm are too meta for me.
I'm sure there were discussions at Apple if the iPad was going to one day the Mac the way the Mac once replaced the Apple II. I'm also fairly sure that ain't happening — they're doubling down on the Mac and iPad as distinct platforms.
You're the one who literally said:
Which is it? Be hopeful, or they aren't improving it?
For Office on Windows? It's the same Windows APIs just running on a different CPU architecture. Why would you not expect them to compile it natively for the processor it's going to run on, sometime in the decade they've been releasing Windows on Arm?
.... I don't even know what you're trying to say here. But hey you do you.
Nah. I think people are hugely overstating this.
I've just had a look at the installed apps on my iPhone..
Spotify
Youtube
Gmail
Slack
Audible
Overcast
Dropbox
Amazon
Paypal
... are pretty much the most used outside of the system apps messages, reminders etc which are already on the Mac anyway. Pretty much all of them can be used on the web and/or already have a desktop app or some sort.
I'm just using my iOS usage as an example but if you look at the most popular apps on iOS they almost all have some web or desktop version.
What are these iOS apps that people are crying out for on the Mac? I don't think there are anywhere near as many as you think ..
Could it be an hybrid system which uses Arm for basic use such as Facebook or small office and Intel chips or X86 for Pro sessions ?
Yes as evidenced by the $899 11" MacBook Air - I think with that the price there was dictated by a $100 price differential from the 13" model. I don't think we will see a return of a sub 13" Mac now (if anything a larger variant seems like it would be more appropriate). Taking inflation into account, this $999 model is virtually the same real price as the 11" was when it first hit that price in 2014 - not to mention you get 2x the storage and RAM. Indeed arguably this is the best value MacBook Apple have offered yet...
The cost on ARM-based Macs is a lot less than x86-Macs and it can really help double the annual sales of mac if the overall price is lower.
Whatever "magical math"😀 you do on the iPad Pro numbers, you have to do the exact same math on the MacBook Pro numbers, otherwise those numbers cannot be compared to each other!
If that is your definition of hardcore, but why the labels. It was in response to another user way to take it out of context.
May it be a first step or one in a series it’s was introduced as a new feature during WWDC’19. Ah short memories.
iMac Pro does not have adequate cooling for the processor it houses, yes it’s a design flaw similar to the poor thermal design of the retina MBA and the 13” MBP. Prior to the 2019 MP the trash can MP was a design flaw. Yep, Apple is not perfect in thermal design a as you seem to incline.
Apple like any company plans years ahead that does not mean it fails to monitor the environment and make changes accordingly, or do short memories forget that the G5 hit a wall and Apple transitioned to x86.
Only time will tell.