Mike Peterson
A prolific Apple leaker, has shared some thoughts on how, when, and why Apple will switch its Macs to first-party ARM chips.
Rumors of an ARM Mac have been ramping up in the past weeks, with the latest information suggesting a possible announcement at Apple's 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple has also been taking steps to set up its ecosystem for an ARM Mac for years, which include the rollout of T-series chips in 2016 and newer Mac models.
In a post on Reddit, Fudge speculates about what that transition could ultimately look like. For example, Fudge says that the first ARM-equipped Mac could be a refresh of the 12-inch MacBook, based on rumors out of the Apple supply chain.
That 12-inch device would be the first to come equipped with an eight- to 12-core A14X chip "designed specifically for use as the primary processor in a Mac." Fudge added that there are "rumors" that Apple is still working to perfect the bemoaned butterfly keyboard for inclusion in that device.
It isn't clear if there will be any design changes, so the model could look the same as the 2017 12-inch MacBook that Apple killed off in July 2019. The device also could be the first Mac to sport cellular connectivity in the form of 5G support, Fudge says.
As far as the why, there are a number of ways that Apple could benefit from moving away from Intel. Fudge covered some of those reasons in the Reddit post.
Along with better performance and battery life for consumers, the switch could allow Apple to cut costs and execute more control over its hardware and software integration. Similarly, it could free Apple from Intel's release schedule and declining reputation.
That's in addition to the fact that ARM Macs and iOS devices could allow for a "more unified Apple ecosystem," where the only distinction could be "form factor and performance characteristics."
Not that the road to an ARM Mac would be without bumps.
Although apps released through the Mac App Store would likely be unfazed, things would be a bit trickier for independently distributed apps. For example, developers would need to build both ARM and x86 versions of their apps, or take other alternative steps like using emulation for app functionality. Fudge also thinks that Apple could completely abandon Boot Camp as a feature until Windows becomes friendlier to ARM architecture.
Although we could hear the first word about ARM Macs from Apple at WWDC 2020 on June 22, Bloomberg recently reported that the first ARM chip-equipped Mac isn't likely to be released until 2021.
Fudge's entire post is available on Reddit, and is worth a read for anyone interested in the ARM Mac transition.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
25 Comments
I use my 12-inch MacBook for writing, so, though I’m super-interested in an ARM-based replacement, my ability to purchase one is 100% dependent on the availability of Scrivener (ARM) for macOS.
I was actually thinking along similar lines! It's clear that Apple wanted to keep selling the 12" Macbook, and contrary to forum-nerds opinions, it was a very popular product. Up until the pandemic I was still seeing them all over NYC, mostly in the hands of people I took to be sales, management, or journalists.
One strategic way to deploy ARM Macs is to start with models that are used by people who don't install a lot of third-party software, anyone whose life revolves around a web browser, email, messages, and some light word processing and spreadsheet stuff isn't going to care how long it takes Adobe to port Creative Suite. That sounds like the 12" Macbook crowd.
Last March, I bought one for my girlfriend who was slumming in Europe for the winter (thanks AppleInsider for the w00t link!). I mailed it about a week before "the shutdown," and to the best of my knowledge it's lost forever in a warehouse or the bottom of the ocean. If a 12" ARM Macbook happens, I might buy her another.
Reads like a blind person feeling up some tree trunks and bushes, and thinking it is an elephant. I'm skeptical of what he is saying, like the stories on the T1 and T2 read like a retcon to fit his story.
The 12" rumors are interesting. Was it Digitimes that rumormongering there was going to be a 12" iPad? So, there looks to be a 12" panel in enough quantities among Apple's suppliers to generate rumors of either a 12" iPad or a 12" Mac laptop. It makes more sense to me that the 12" panel if for an iPad Pro, replacing the 11" model. The 10.8" panel for the iPad Air successor is going to be really close to the 11" model and maybe Apple wants to go bigger to further differentiate it with a 10.8" iPad.
I basically think a 12" laptop is doomed to failure because it's too small of a display for modern WIMP UI workflows. OEMs keep trying, but there isn't any staying power for small screened laptop models. Eventually, all Chromebooks will be 13" laptops too. Just waiting on component prices to go down enough.
Will it have at least two ports though?