I don't do hardcore stuff on my 12" MacBook either, but I may be biased by the 2017 i5-7600 iMac I also have at home.
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Leaker: Apple Planning iPad Air With Under-Screen Touch ID, ARM MacBook, Game Controller, and More
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ARM is increasingly inevitable.
The running iPad apps on Mac is no accident.
Apple have done transitions before. I'd be quite happy with a 'laptop' style iOS computer. A desktop one. (I imagine a giant iPad screen on the new iPad style eazel stand. When I look at that...I see 'iMac' desktop iOS version...one day.)
To be honest, the Mac OS/iOS stuff is largely semantics from iMac to iPad.
iOS is simpler and touchy. Mac OS is more complex and feels less rigid. But part of that what I'm used to. I peck notes on my iPhone. I draw on the iPad (when I get one...when Apple gets around to a 14x...) and I do serious lifting on an iMac.
In the future, I see one device with different sized screens with finger, stylous, mouse or touch pad/k/b input...depending on task.
'Not yet.' But a relative 'soon.'
Those ARM chips continue their inevitable performance march. The 14x (when it comes) should kick Az.
Azrael.
The running iPad apps on Mac is no accident.
Apple have done transitions before. I'd be quite happy with a 'laptop' style iOS computer. A desktop one. (I imagine a giant iPad screen on the new iPad style eazel stand. When I look at that...I see 'iMac' desktop iOS version...one day.)
To be honest, the Mac OS/iOS stuff is largely semantics from iMac to iPad.
iOS is simpler and touchy. Mac OS is more complex and feels less rigid. But part of that what I'm used to. I peck notes on my iPhone. I draw on the iPad (when I get one...when Apple gets around to a 14x...) and I do serious lifting on an iMac.
In the future, I see one device with different sized screens with finger, stylous, mouse or touch pad/k/b input...depending on task.
'Not yet.' But a relative 'soon.'
Those ARM chips continue their inevitable performance march. The 14x (when it comes) should kick Az.
Azrael.
When Apple releases a redesigned chassis for a product, they time it with the release of new Intel CPUs almost every single time, because they also introduce new functionality as well. The only really big exception to this rule is the introduction of the 16” MacBook Pro, which reused 9th Generation H-Series CPUs.
I suspect Apple is waiting for suitable ARM/Arm CPUs before they introduce a revamped chassis for the iMac, which is what I would do if I was Apple. This makes for a clean break visually for the iMac from Intel to ARM/Arm. This way, no one will mistake what an Intel-based iMac looks like versus an ARM/Arm-based iMac.
Regardless, an updated iMac will not be released before June.
The only reason I'm not touting translation/emulation as the cure is that, AFAIK, the only current "proof of concept" is the x86 emulator on Windows 10 for ARM which is 32-bit only, which would be as much use as a chocolate teapot on a Mac.
I'm not sure if that is for technical reasons, if the CPUs that MS is using aren't fast enough (maybe the A-series processors are better) or if it is legal blight (Intel were even being sniffy about x86-32 emulation at one point and since x86-64 was originally developed by AMD, the licensing for that is probably an even bigger can of worms...)
But, yes, if Apple can come up trumps with a x86-64-on-ARM64 equivalent to Rosetta, that could be some help. However, this time around, they may even be able to do without it - the computing world has changed since 2005, a lot of modern Mac apps - especially those aimed at the low-end Macs - really are going to be 'check the ARM64 box and hit build'.
In 2005, a Mac - even a low-end, consumer-focussed one - that couldn't run Office or basic Photoshop would have been a dead duck. In 2020, more and more people in that category are using platform-independent web apps for basic productivity and there are a whole new generation of "prosumer" graphics apps which are already available for iPad (even Photoshop itself - although I understand that still has a way to go, it's better than starting from scratch).
If Apple repeat the PPC to Intel process and release a developer's machine in June, there could be a metric shedload of "native" ARM Apps by the time consumer machines launch next year.
Translation won't help so much with the big pro application stacks - the only cure for that is a decent transition period.
Oceanhorn 2 on Apple Arcade uses the Unreal Engine, so that's running on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS.
The Intel Mac mini has never had a discrete GPU with the exception of the Mid 2011 model (ATI Radeon 6630M). You are asking for something that is not a Mac mini once they revamp the chassis for a dGPU. The benefit of the mini as it is now is that I can attach any eGPU I want to it, from a lowly Radeon 560 up to and including a Radeon VII. However, if my workflow does not need a dGPU, then I do not have a need to add one, ever, nor am I saddled with a older, outdated dGPU sucking down electricity. It becomes more about my choice than anything else. What would be nice is Intel shipping better iGPUs in their S-Series CPUs as they once did (e.g. Core i7-5775C). However, by the time Intel adds a Xe iGPU to the S-Series CPUs, Apple most likely will have already moved on to ARM/Arm CPUs for all of their Macs, because Intel has been drag-a**ing is for the past 5 years.
The game controller idea is interesting, primarily because it's hard to see what Apple could do to differentiate their own controller from 3rd party controllers in terms of the technology used. Things like the W2 chip wouldn't seem to apply since game controllers don't need that much range.
I'm not touting translation/emulation as a cure, but just as potentially a helpful adjunct during the transition, given the impressive speed of A12X/Z. Also, I expect A14X to be about 30-40% faster than A12X.
However, I'm not convinced they'll use such a translator either. You're right in that it's not 2005/2006 anymore so it may not be worth the effort to create such a translator.
BTW, I used Photoshop for light touchups via Rosetta and even for such light usage it was buggy, like an early beta.
When the rumour came out, they also clarified that any references to AMD were probably related to internal testing, probably linked to GPU and not a sign that hardware with AMD CPU was about to launch. There hasn't been any rumours mentioning products or a timeline ever since. However, there has been plenty of rumours mentionning ARM based products. Macbook in June, MacBook Pro 16 late 2020 early 21, MacBook Air late 2020 early 21, ARM powered Mac with USB-4 (i.e TB3) early 22.
Thanks - really haven’t been keeping up with the CPU updates from Intel. I guess the S series are the ones used in iMacs?
hmmm... aapl game controller?
i dont know...
lotta controllers already out there
unless aapl come out with something "insanely great..."
i dont know...
lotta controllers already out there
unless aapl come out with something "insanely great..."
This... seems like a lot of products. There’s no way there’s a market for everything on this list. You really think Apple is simultaneously working on pretty much every product in their lineup for an imminent release? Convoluting iPad and MacBook lineups even further? Doesn’t make any sense.
I’d say about a third of it may come to fruition. That or Apple is way over extending themselves and over assuming what people will actually buy
I’d say about a third of it may come to fruition. That or Apple is way over extending themselves and over assuming what people will actually buy
Interesting leaks, maybe a source for some other leakers. His leaks are def different when looking at his Twitter. I’m intrigued by the ARM Macbook, but more interested in next month’s MBP (hopefully). iMac delay may be okay depending on how much of a delay we end up with.
Why use Apple controller when you can get a PS4 or Xbox controller - both of which will likely be cheaper and are already demonstrated to be amazing. Apple has been poor at controllers lately (yes Apple TV remote we are all looking at you).
This is exactly right. I have different roles for different items. As a golfer, my analogy is wedge set configuration. I like 47/48º, 52º, 56º, 60º. Someone else may use 45º, 50º, 54º. There really is no one-size fits all for everyone in either example (golf to iOS devices). Having multiple targeted devices that work well together increases productivity
Agreed
Both of those are already peak design and universally agreed on to be the best made. Like another guy said in this thread unless they blow it out of the water there’s no point
There doesn't appear to be a Coffee Lake-S CPU with Iris Plus, unfortunately.
I agree! Not a great "only computer", but the best secondary/backup/travel computer ever!
I dunno about that. A Mac mini option with a 16-inch MacBook Pro like mobile GPU would sound nice to me.
Yes. 65W, 95W (previously) and with the 10th gen Comet Lake a new 125W tier, which is a more realistically-spec’ed TDP for a chip rated at 95W that was notorious for drawing well in excess of that if you’d let it.
One potential issue, it is rumored to use a new socket, LGA1200. Not sure how that’ll play into iMac upgrades. It would be a pain to have to redesign the logic board.
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Depends what you mean by imminent. Pretty much every product Apple sells will have a new version released within the next 12-18 months. All are currently at different stages of development. That’s a safe bet.
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Imminent? There’s no mention of that. Over the next 12+ months realistically. Apple Watch 6 also due this fall.
iPad Air is rumored to be switching to under screen Touch ID, that’s not really making things more convoluted.
And bringing back the 12” MacBook as the first of the Apple ARM Macs is a logical initial product for a transition that’s been rumored for at least five years.