Apple’s First ARM-based Mac Will Feature 12-Core Processor, Release in 2021

[jaymonkey]

I guess one possibility if and when Apple fully transitions to ARM and it no longer supports the x86 architecture at all for future versions of MacOS (which I think would b at least 10 years from now) would be MacOS ARM emulation on the X86 platform via a VM ... not perfect I know and Apple would do their best to counter it should it ever happen but there are some really bright developers out there ....

Food for thought at this time ....

Cheers
Jay

 

[pastrychef]

I don't doubt the possibility of macOS on ARM. I mean, at its core, it shares a lot with iOS...

At the end of the day, I fault Intel for not innovating and opening the door for all their competitors to catch up and surpass them. That being said, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that "the switch" will be from Intel to AMD and not Intel to ARM. Let's not forget that there has been traces of AMD CPUs found in macOS.

Apple namedrops next-gen AMD hardware in macOS beta code

Unreleased and unannounced AMD products and supporting infrastructure are appearing frequently in newly published, official MacOS Catalina 10.15.4 code. This isn't the first time we've seen some...

www.techspot.com

 

[trs96]

I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that "the switch" will be from Intel to AMD and not Intel to ARM. Let's not forget that there has been traces of AMD CPUs found in macOS.

I'm hoping that Apple at least makes their future plans clear in 12 days at WWDC. Since Jobs is no longer CEO and Cook is much slower to implement changes, I think the rumored ARM transition will be handled better and not be as abrupt and across the board as PPC to Intel in 2006-7. ARM based Macbooks will be first to show up in 2021 and we'll see what happens after that.

 

[jaymonkey]

One thing also to take into consideration is the constant inability for Intel to design CPU's that have no security issues.
This week two new potentially serious security issues (SGAxe and SGX CrossTalk) where reported :-

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/06/new-exploits-plunder-crypto-keys-and-more-from-intels-ultrasecure-sgx/

This is just the latest in a long and torrid history of such security issues with Intel CPU's and for sure Intel will release yet another ME update to patch these latest F-Up's but every time they do, we loose more and more CPU performance.

I would image Apple like many are simply fed up with Intels ineptitude on this problem so moving to their own ARM based CPU's where they have complete control over the design and the embedded security systems does make sense.

Cheers
Jay

 

[trs96]

Apple like many are simply fed up with Intel's ineptitude on this problem

It sure has been a rocky road the past four years for Intel. I've always used their products since the 1990s, never had any CPU fail or create problems, but we'll see how long they can continue to compete with their rivals and stay relevant during this decade of the 2020s.

 

[jaymonkey]

I've always used their products since the 1990s, never had any CPU fail or create problems.

@trs96,

Like you I've always used (and still do use) Intel CPU's ... but I have seen a gradual drop in raw CPU performance whenever Intel release a new ME update to patch a security issue with the Meltdown and Spectre patch being the most noticeable.

It looks like the update to patch these latest security issues will effect memmory access more than anything else.

The microcode update fixing this bug locks the entire memory bus before updating the staging buffer and unlocks it only after clearing its content. The strategy behind this change is to ensure no information is exposed to offcore requests made by other CPU cores ....

I think this comment in answer to the ARS Technica article sums it nicely :-

Even if you are completely unconcerned with your machine being a security swiss cheese, you don't get to choose if your CPU's microcode gets patched or not. That happens regardless. And every time Intel patches a mitigation, performance tanks further.

The performance you're paying for is not what you'll have in 3 years ...

Cheers
Jay

 

[Gigamaxx]

Keller leaving Intel.

Jim Keller Resigns from Intel, Effective Immediately

www.anandtech.com

 

[AnAppleADay]

I'm hoping that Apple at least makes their future plans clear in 12 days at WWDC. Since Jobs is no longer CEO and Cook is much slower to implement changes, I think the rumored ARM transition will be handled better and not be as abrupt and across the board as PPC to Intel in 2006-7. ARM based Macbooks will be first to show up in 2021 and we'll see what happens after that.

Yes quite right. I'm hoping they'll make a clear support statement at WWDC. Absent that, I'll be dumping my new Mac Pro and going back to Hackintosh until the transition is complete. I've already pulled my Mac Pro out of service in anticipation.

 

[CitizenK]

I don't want a monitor because I have two very good ones already. And an iMac under the table looks like ****.
So no iMac for me.

I need a fast workhorse and if anything breaks, like RAM, PSU, SSD, I want to be able to order a new part, get it delivered to my door within 3 hours, replace it, install backup and be back in business in 4 hours max without leaving my home let alone carry a huge PC across the city in rush hours to some idiot at a "Genius Bar" to rip me off.
So no Mac Mini for me.

And while I don't care too much about money, I don't want to pay $10000 for a Mac Pro I can get for $2000.
So no Mac Pro for me.

That's why I'm using a Hackintosh. If Apple had a decent, easy to repair and extend Tower Mac, I would be the first one to buy it and be done with any DYI hacks. Sadly, there is no Mac for my work and probably never will be.

I use a Mac Mini in the living room and a MacBook on travel though because they are a match to my main workhorse.

If Apple goes ARM, this is likely my goodbye to the Apple world and I will go back to the Windows world and never look back to Apple products, because they simply don't match my needs.

Maybe I'll come back in 15 years, when they switch again everything.

 

[remington]

If Apple goes ARM, this is likely my goodbye to the Apple world and I will go back to the Windows world and never look back to Apple products, because they simply don't match my needs.

Maybe I'll come back in 15 years, when they switch again everything.

A lot will change in 10 years from now. Linux Desktop is getting better and better and who knows there will be another unix based OS that will rival with macOS. I have no plans to go back to Windows so it's either macOS or unix-based OS. The only thing that irritates me is that macOS is becoming more like iOS with everything locked down. It's a nightmare for developers like me. I'm pretty sure that future version of macOS will need to be jailbroken if want to install 3rd party apps outside of App Store.