You know that rumor about Apple creating its own proprietary processors for the Mac? Yeah, that one--well, it's back. As iOS devices continue to claim more and more of the computing market, Cupertino may be interested in using its own ARM chips in upcoming Mac models.
The rumor has resurged, thanks to a report from Bloomberg. According to people "familiar with the company's research," Apple engineers are interested in carrying over the chip designs from mobile, to its MacBooks and desktops. According to the sources, we won't see an Apple-created processor "in the next few years," but the switch from Intel processors is "inevitable."
Back in 2005, Apple switched the processors in Mac computers from IBM's PowerPC chips to Intel products. At the time, ARM-based processors like the A6X found in the fourth-generation iPad were but a twinkle in Cupertino's eye.
Apple recently placed Bob Mansfield in charge of chip development as part of a large executive shake-up, saying the research team has "ambitious plans." The move to an ARM-based chip in Macs may be part of a consistent attempt to meld iOS with Mac OS.
Of course, this is all hearsay at this point. And moreover, if Apple does decide to move away from Intel processors, the change won't come without a cost. While ARM chips are lighter on battery consumption for mobile devices, they lack the power of an Intel chip, potentially crippling high-end graphics processing in Macs.
Then again, who knows what Mansfield and his team are up to in the research department. Either way, it doesn't sound like we'll know anything for some time.
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(Image source: David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
brandonwalkermedia
November 06, 2012 at 3:47pm
While ARM chips are lighter on battery consumption for mobile devices, they lack the power of an Intel chip, potentially crippling high-end graphics processing in Macs.
not true! they will one have more room (most likely) 2. the iPads graphics power already matches that of the MacBook Air, make it for the higher end products and you get better then intel processors.
jsnowbordr47
November 06, 2012 at 2:16am
Perhaps it's more of a complementary thing more than a replacement thing. As a designer I can't even imagine a world without proper desktop power. Something tells me FCP, Adobe Creative Suite, Avid, etc are not ready for the ARM system, at least not in any serious form that resembles how they work today.
I'm thinking they might be working on a way to have an ARM chip inside the Mac as a secondary processing unit so that iOS apps will be able to run on OSX. This way you can have even more of an iPad experience on your Mac... if you want it.
Ditching the Intel and conventional processors is just going to piss off developers who specialize in desktop applications. But having the ability to run my iPad apps on my MacBook Pro is something I'd be interested in.
I already use an application for Facebook so I hardly need to open my browser for that anymore. And of course I've been waiting for an OSX version of Words With Friends.lol
Goldie07
November 05, 2012 at 8:26pm
the new iMacs already have hobbled Intel chips compared to the comparable desktop PC chips
Chris Charlton
November 05, 2012 at 5:03pm
And in 4-5 years we'll see rumors of how Mac OS X will become Mac OS 11 around the same time iOS 10 or 11 should be out, and instead iOS + Mac OS will merge into one single OS platform code base that runs all Apple hardware, all running on ARM based chips. It's fun to conjure stuff up, huh.
Within 5 years chips will not be anything near what we see them as today.
ksaad
November 05, 2012 at 4:25pm
Sounds like a bad move to me, at this point at least. The migration to a different architecture (even with a cross-platform system in mind) costs a lot to a company, as much as it does to developers. Let alone the inconvenience to the users. That and the fact that Intel isn't known, or even have been accused of shortcomings. They're already leading the optimal standard for the PC and Mac. Their mobile chips are unmatched and affordable as well.
I'd understand if Apple has a "far future plan in store", pretty much like they did back in the PPC days. But is it really worth it in the upcoming few years? It seems a bit too early, given Steve Jobs' laid long-term plans that presumably justify the switch.
I can see it happening way earlier for the MacBooks, at least the MacBook Air. If the Apple chip can deliver better performance to watt and reduce the price tag altogether, maybe it would start to make sense to some people. In my humble opinion, I can't imagine this plan making it to the desktops, or the Pro Line, if anything. Ever since Tim Cook assumed command, I see nothing but delays, key people dropping Apple and funny stories like this one.
Let's just hope Apple isn't under the mercy of another John Scully.
