Evidence is Mounting: Apple Will Convert the Macs to ARM CPUs

https://www.macobserver.com/columns...ce-mounting-apple-will-convert-macs-arm-cpus/

Click link above for full story.

Well all Apple phones and tablets are running ARM processors, But does ARM have a design to beat the power of Intel`s current versions, not to mention upcoming models.

John.

 

This really makes no difference to most people who actually care about the CPU there running as they wouldn't be buying the overpriced HW that buying a mac gets you..

 

Oh this will be so much fun, specially for creative professionals. xD

 

Keep in mind that Apple had developed x86 OS X builds for years as a "just in case" measure. The same is likely true right now with the ARM version.

I don't see all the Macs going ARM, maybe a SKU or two of the MacBook ultraportable as a "forward thinking" measure.

We shall see.

 

Only problem is....none of the desktop applications are written for RISC. Since Power PC died in 2005-2006, everything has been written for X86 only....it would be a long, hard transition for software developers that will likely limit the available applications for MacOS even more.

 

That's the only problem....

 

I actually think it's a good thing, despite my mistrust for greedy Apple. It will be very interesting to say the least. On the other hand, it will be a disaster for Apple-Intel users, obviously.

 

Apple loves those CPU cross-roads situations, and have made that jump many times in the past, leaving behind a whole pool of users stranded in the stagnant waters of zero support in very short order.

IDK if ARM CPU's are up to the task yet, they will have to pull out a completely new architecture to provide better than Intel performance for the same or better cost.

Or, Apple is lowering the bar once again

 

If true, I'd wait until you see final performance before saying that. Massively parallel ARM with the TDP a laptop would afford Apple could potentially destroy Intel performance. I'd say the same for GPU too.

Way more cores, higher clocks and highly optimized software along with coding/compiler tools that would make the transition easier.

That said, I think this talk is nuts. Apple is more likely to kill Mac than waste this much effort on a very small part of their business.

 

PowerPC and...... ?

 

68k, powerpc, intel, arm

Five barriers that might hold Apple back from moving Intel Macs to custom ARM chips
http://appleinsider.com/articles/15...ck-from-moving-intel-macs-to-custom-arm-chips

 

Not quite. Companies wont start re writing their software suits to work with new instruction sets, add to that a whole new bag of optimization issues. Already most of them have stopped providing support for high end 3D suits. Editing suites however will work either ways.

 

More cores with low single thread performance...That didn't work out for AMD...Also I'm no creative professional and correct me if I'm wrong but most pro applications don't scale indefinitely with multi threads.

 

Most of them dont.

 

Nah. Poor analysis on the author's part, imo. Moving to x86 saved Apple in 2006, after struggling for years with Motorola's slow, ****ty RISC chips.

The likely reason for the code is moving the ipads to "MacOS", to unify their software platform. At some point, Apple needs to add touch interfaces, so I think that's the likely the future for their computers.

Also, the only reason many people use Macs is because parallels/vms/bootcamp lets them run their work apps. Moving to ARM would kill that deader than a Surface Pro.

 

That would be acceptable...

 

I hope so. I'm really fed up with both Microsoft, Android, and Apple at this point.

 

What if they were running an ARM and x86 in parallel. ARM in the removable lid and intel in the docking keyboard, ala Surface Pro but turning a macbook into a legit iPad when not docked.

 

That's such a convoluted solution that I think it flies in the face of Apple's unified work-space and product philosophy.

 

68k was emulated on PowerPC
PowerPC was emulated on Intel
They are still on Intel
Only mobile devices are on ARM

So I think you are still reaching.

They'll do whatever makes economic sense. Just like the last few times.

You can't state low single threaded performance when we don't know any details on the chip.

Also the a10 beats the Mac Pro in single threaded performance in some benchmarks.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/16/12939310/iphone-7-a10-fusion-processor-apple-intel-future

 

Reaching for what?

I was asked what the transition points were besides PowerPC, so I listed them.

At each transition the old arch was emulated on the new one that replaced it, there was a transition - and not everything worked in emulation.

The emulation was stopped at some point, so those old apps were all dropped on the floor with no support.

After the transition, the support for the old arch was stopped - no new OS releases, no emulated app support after a period of time.

That's what happened, and is what will likely happen again should Apple drop Intel for ARM on Macintosh.

 

Considering how fast a lot of companies are dropping OSX support by the week, im not quite optimistic.