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Apple Considering Switch From Intel Chips in Future Macs

Monday November 5, 2012 12:04 pm PST by Jordan Golson
NewImageApple is considering dropping Intel CPUs in favor of its own chip design, according to a report from Bloomberg. It was rumored last year that Apple was considering switching from Intel to ARM processors in future laptops.
Apple engineers have grown confident that the chip designs used for its mobile devices will one day be powerful enough to run its desktops and laptops, said three people with knowledge of the work, who asked to remain anonymous because the plans are confidential. Apple began using Intel chips for Macs in 2005.

While Apple is now committed to Intel in computers and is unlikely to switch in the next few years, some engineers say a shift to its own designs is inevitable as the features of mobile devices and PCs become more similar, two people said. Any change would be a blow to Intel, the world’s largest processor maker, which has already been hurt by a stagnating market for computers running Microsoft Corp.’s Windows software and its failure to gain a foothold in mobile gadgets.
Apple has recently moved away from using off the shelf chips in its iOS devices in recent years, launching its latest A6 and A6X chips based on custom designs. The company has acquired a number of hardware firms to ramp up its expertise in integrated circuit design.

Apple acquired chip designer P.A. Semi in 2008 for $278 million, ARM specialist Intrinsity in 2010, and most recently, Israeli flash memory firm Anobit earlier this year.

Apple first announced its move to Intel processors back in 2005, dropping PowerPC chips because of issues with power consumption and limited availability of high-performance processors.


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iSteve-O
85 months ago
Not again. Remember When you decided to drop Google Maps and make your own? How did that turn out?
Rating: 144 Votes
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kcamfork
85 months ago
If this is true, I guess my 2012 mbp will be my last Mac...
Rating: 137 Votes
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Prof.
85 months ago
If this turns out to be the case, I won't be buying from Apple anymore...
Rating: 87 Votes
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Purant
85 months ago
Please no.

I've been through the PPC to Intel transition. It wasn't pretty.

All software through rosetta was VERY slow and it took a couple of years until all the software I needed had a half-decent universal binary version out.

I don't want to go through that again.
Rating: 75 Votes
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gotluck
85 months ago
no more bootcamp?
Rating: 59 Votes
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silverf1re
85 months ago
Please don't :(
Rating: 50 Votes
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Vol7ron
85 months ago
The reason I started using Mac's was because of the x86 architecture. If Apple moves away to an ARM based architecture, then i may have to move into linux, back to windows 7, or just stay with my old Mac.
Rating: 44 Votes
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MacFather
85 months ago

If this is true, I guess my 2012 mbp will be my last Mac...


Rating: 36 Votes
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seamer
85 months ago
Naturally, not being an expert I'm allowed to be wrong.

But isn't the switch from custom chips to intel one of the main reasons Apple started gaining a foothold in consumer/developer interest?
Rating: 36 Votes
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troop231
85 months ago
Maybe we'll get an ARM powered PowerBook G5 :p
Rating: 34 Votes

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