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Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

bloomberg.com

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Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#71

Post by dawnerd »

lambda_lover wrote: post #45

> "A decision to go with ARM technology in computers might lend it credibility where it has failed to gain a foothold so far." > "Apple is working on a new software platform, internally dubbed Marzipan, for release as early as this year that would allow users to run iPhone and iPad apps on Macs" Two things here: 1) I'm OK with breaking the Intel near-monopoly on x86. I'm not OK with moving to a walled garden where Ap…

> does anybody have faith that Apple is going to be able to navigate a rewrite of macOS on this scale?

Inn their current yearly OS release cycle? Nope, not at all.

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#74

Post by joezydeco »

uptown wrote: post #69

Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that the iPad is "the clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing" and Apple only sells around 4M Macs per quarter, while iOS devices dwarf this stat. If their plan is to continue moving users from desktop/laptop devices to their iOS ecosystem, and the software can be transformed to cross between both classes of devices, then it only makes sense to unify the pr…

I still expect that they'll offer devices in traditional form factors

What are iOS developers supposed to develop on?

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#75

Post by andr »

While a x86-ARM translator of some sort is certainly possible, keep in mind that Xcode added support for BitCode back in 2015, which means that binaries are uploaded to the App Store in LLVM IR and compiled to the target architecture by Apple. While this will not cover 100% of Mac OS applications out there, it will certainly minimize the effort of porting stuff to ARM MacBooks.

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#76

Post by adamson »

pertsix wrote: post #66
lambda_lover wrote: post #45

> "A decision to go with ARM technology in computers might lend it credibility where it has failed to gain a foothold so far." > "Apple is working on a new software platform, internally dubbed Marzipan, for release as early as this year that would allow users to run iPhone and iPad apps on Macs" Two things here: 1) I'm OK with breaking the Intel near-monopoly on x86. I'm not OK with moving to a walled garden where Ap…

Not having to emulate iOS apps on macOS will be a boon for Xcode developers.

I doubt iOS devs are very high up on the list of parties to please with this move

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#77

Post by danaliv »

cptskippy wrote: post #64
jimrandomh wrote: post #30

Based on this article, it doesn't sound like Bloomberg has enough information to distinguish between Apple being committed to a transition, or Apple developing chips to improve their negotiating position with Intel. It's also very unlikely to happen on such a fast timetable; given the IP situation, it's unlikely Apple could make an x86_64 chip, and any move away from x86_64 is going to require significant work by thi…

Apple did a pretty decent job when they transitioned from PPC to x86_64, it has Rosetta to translate PPC to x86. Microsoft and partners released ARM based Windows Laptops this year that can run Win32 apps in emulation. What's stopping Apple from shipping Macbooks with a custom SoC that can run existing Apps in emulation until developers can recompile? I would argue that most Air and Macbook owners aren't developers a…

And before that they successfully managed the transition from m68k to PPC.

The processor doesn't matter.

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#78

Post by em3rgent0rdr »

bobwaycott wrote: post #53
jimrandomh wrote: post #30

Based on this article, it doesn't sound like Bloomberg has enough information to distinguish between Apple being committed to a transition, or Apple developing chips to improve their negotiating position with Intel. It's also very unlikely to happen on such a fast timetable; given the IP situation, it's unlikely Apple could make an x86_64 chip, and any move away from x86_64 is going to require significant work by thi…

Is the IP/licensing situation particularly onerous here to prevent making their own x86_64 chip?

Yes. x86_64 is younger than patent lifespan, anyway.

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#79

Post by cptskippy »

bobwaycott wrote: post #53
jimrandomh wrote: post #30

Based on this article, it doesn't sound like Bloomberg has enough information to distinguish between Apple being committed to a transition, or Apple developing chips to improve their negotiating position with Intel. It's also very unlikely to happen on such a fast timetable; given the IP situation, it's unlikely Apple could make an x86_64 chip, and any move away from x86_64 is going to require significant work by thi…

Is the IP/licensing situation particularly onerous here to prevent making their own x86_64 chip?

Yes. Everything since the Pentium is still encumbered. Intel and AMD have extensive cross licensing agreements. Anyone want to build an x86_64 chip would need to either purchase a company that already had licenses or negotiate with both AMD and Intel.

Re: Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs from 2020, Replacing Intel

#80

Post by uptown »

joezydeco wrote: post #74
uptown wrote: post #69

Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that the iPad is "the clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing" and Apple only sells around 4M Macs per quarter, while iOS devices dwarf this stat. If their plan is to continue moving users from desktop/laptop devices to their iOS ecosystem, and the software can be transformed to cross between both classes of devices, then it only makes sense to unify the pr…

I still expect that they'll offer devices in traditional form factors What are iOS developers supposed to develop on?

"What are iOS developers supposed to develop on?"

Presumably laptops and desktops with Apple chips inside.

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