First ARM-based MacBook coming by end of 2020, says Ming-Chi Kuo

The typically reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple will announce its first-ever ARM Mac in late 2020, likely a MacBook Pro variant that will be on sale early in 2021.

Apple's plans to move from Intel to ARM processors appears to be accelerating, according to a research note by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that has been seen by AppleInsider. He expects Apple to now announce its first ARM Mac in the last quarter of 2020, with it shipping either at announcement or before the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Kuo, who has generally been highly accurate about Apple plans, confirms previous speculation that this first ARM Mac will be a notebook. He does not specify, however, whether it will be a MacBook Pro, a MacBook Air, or a return for the previously discontinued MacBook.

Apple has reported moved up production in response to the impact of the coronavirus on production and demand of other products. Kuo says that demand for MacBook models is affected by the same issues, but has remained more stable.

He also reports that market response for the 16-inch MacBook Pro with its new scissor keyboard is greater than Apple expected, so the same system will move to all of the company's portables.

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Specifically, Kuo predicts a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air, will be launched with this keyboard by the end of June 2020. He then sees the ARM-based MacBook coming in the last quarter of 2020 or first quarter of 2021.

Then he claims that Apple will introduce MacBook Pro models with an unspecified new design in the second or third quarter of 2021.

21 Comments

imat 215 comments · 17 Years

About 4 years ago

Looking forward to ARM MacBook Pro. If it proves to be powerful enough it might be interesting. But not on the first iteration because, probably, software will have to be re-written to take full advantage of it. I still remember the "Rosetta" days and the Microsoft Office software running on Rosetta...

cy_starkman 653 comments · 16 Years

Also looking forward and fully expect Apple to make the move with such skill and aplomb, as to blow the naysayers minds.

this is like a decade in the making.

GeorgeBMac 11421 comments · 8 Years

I doubt Apple would introduce this in the MacBook Pro. Maybe the Air, but I doubt that too. More likely a resurrected MacBook -- or similar with a new name.

Whichever it is, it will provide noticeable advantages over the Intel based MacBooks - particularly in battery life and access to iOS / iPadOS applications.

But, at the same time, it is unlikely it will run Bootcamp or of the lookalikes and it will be awhile till all the standard MacOS applications are available.

One who would not be in favor of this is my grandson who just asked me to install Bootcamp / WIndows 10 on his MBA because "MacOS is just too hard to use".

I see gradual rollout of this with a mixture & composite of advantages and disadvantages. But, Apple is doing the right thing by getting the ball rolling.

wozwoz 263 comments · 13 Years

If it is so powerful and wonderful, why not start by replacing the Mac Pro with this piece of wunder ARM supercomputing? Oh - they are not - apparently!?? Oh wait - It is for the lowest-end entry model. i.e. read it as pile of low end designed to save costs. Methinks a distraction, confusion and a waste of time.

wood1208 2938 comments · 10 Years

In 2020/21 if Apple moves to ARM based for it's MAC, especially start with Macbook series than it will surprise world with it's ARM CPU/GPU processing capability; like from no where Apple introduced 64-bit A-series that socked most in processor community. Never underestimate Apple.