Sam Oliver
The claims came on Friday from Japanese site Macotakara. Citing an anonymous source, it reported that Apple, in its internal labs, made "test equipment" of a new Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Air powered by an A5 processor.
"According to this source who saw live A5 MacBook Air actually, this test machine performed better than expected," the translation reads.
The report also noted it was "not clear" whether this system was running Apple's lightweight iOS operating system, found on the iPhone and iPad, or the full-fledged Mac OS X operating system. It also mentioned that a switch to a processor based on the ARM architecture would require developers to modify their existing applications.
Given the challenges that would come with a transition from Intel processors to an ARM-based CPU, the A5-powered MacBook Air was characterized as an "experiment." The hardware is said to have been built by Quanta Computer.
The latest rumor comes weeks after a separate report claimed that Apple is looking to transition its laptops to ARM processors "as soon as possible." That report claimed that Apple could switch to ARM processors for its laptops when 64-bit variations are available at the end of 2012 or by early 2013.
As the role of ARM CPUs for Apple has grown with the iPhone and iPad, Microsoft also has plans for the ARM architecture in the future, as mobile devices offer longer battery life with the low-power chips. The Redmond, Wash., software giant revealed at this year's Consumer Electronics Show that the next version of its desktop operating system, Windows 8, will also run on ARM architecture.
Last December, Macotakara correctly reported that Apple's second-generation iPad would have a smaller bezel, a flat back panel, and a larger speaker. The site also revealed that Apple was planning an event to announced the iPad 2 in March.
The same site also joined a chorus of others in reporting that Apple will ship its fifth-generation iPhone later than usual this year. A report in March said that Apple was not yet ordering components for its fifth-generation iPhone, and that the anticipated device was not expected to contribute to Apple's fiscal 2011 bottom line. Apple's fiscal year 2011 concludes on Sept. 24, which would put a new iPhone launch in late September at the earliest.
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
Appleinsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
93 Comments
I'm not buying apple will transition away from the intel architecture, there's just too much at stake and invested that would put everyone at risk to warrant the move. Besides, intel macs are performance wise equal or superior to windows based PC's.
I'm not buying apple will transition away from the intel architecture, there's just too much at stake and invested that would put everyone at risk to warrant the move. Besides, intel macs are performance wise equal or superior to windows based PC's.
You are right when does it end with all this new concepts from Apple? Stick with Intel and stop dicking around.
You are right when does it end with all this new concepts from Apple? Stick with Intel and stop dicking around.
We have to remember that Apple has hundreds of "experiments" in the labs that never see the light of day. This was probably just one of those "what if" moments the engineers had that, if developed, could be a good backup plan if things go sour with Intel or the ARM architecture eventually outperforms Intel's. So let's all breathe and realize that even if we do eventually see something like this, it's won't be for many, many years.
Not so sure why people are so against this, for a machine like the MacBook Air a custom designed chip and board would be a real benefit, think of the benefits that such control could give to Apple.
I doubt Apple would stop using Intel chips in the bulk of their computer line up.
Besides, we have Universal applications on our Mac's, no reason why overtime they could not support the Arm architecture.
You are right when does it end with all this new concepts from Apple? Stick with Intel and stop dicking around.
Given that compiling to multiple architectures is an inherent part of the OS X design (NeXTstep was on 680x0, Intel, Sparc, MIPS; OS X on PPC, Intel, Arm (iOS)), and that for most applications you're a compile switch away from adding and Arm support (assuming you don't have a lot of actual assembly code tied in), it's not nearly as prohibitive as it is for some other companies. I suspect you'd see a fair number of native apps show up pretty quickly if Apple did release something like this.
Now whether it makes any sense, I don't know either - having an architecture that tops out at 32 bits currently doesn't sound like where they should move any actual OS X product, but it probably helps to keep the thumbscrews on Intel in terms of pricing negotiations and access to newer CPUs.