Apple is Exploring a Switch From Intel Processors?

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Posted November 6, 2012 at 1:03am by iClarified

Apple is exploring a switch from Intel's processors to its own designed processors for future desktop and notebook computers, reports Bloomberg.

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.

This isn't the first time Apple has been rumored to be considering a switch from Intel processors. Last year it was reported that Apple had a Llano based MacBook Air on the verge of production but canceled it because AMD couldn't supply enough chips.

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Apple is Exploring a Switch From Intel Processors?

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Simon - November 6, 2012 at 6:50pm

Moving away from intel will be the dumbest move apple can make. It will be decades before ARM catches up to intel as far as desktop CPU's are concerned.

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Informatic - November 6, 2012 at 1:16pm

Apple ist not that stupid, they will never leave Intel!

shawn - November 6, 2012 at 10:15am

Apple have had prototype Macbook Airs for over two years. Apple never had AMD prototypes since AMD cant deliver the amount of chips that Apple needs. Look at the performance of A6: per mhz its on pair with the fastest Intel. People also don't understand how computing work. Look at Android Vs iOS. iOS devices with 50% less raw horsepower often outperforms Android. Why? Optimisation and acceleration. WinTel/Android both use the "brute force" approach. Since MSFT/Goolge don't control the hardware they cant optimise the code. Apple (and other companies) that control both hardware and software can optimise its code. GPU/SIMD acceleration will always perform better then MHZ. The problem is the uneducated masses that believe that 1ghz Tegra2 is faster then 800mhz A4. They just look at the mhz. Apple will move to ARM within 5 years. There is no reason anymore to use X86. Since 2006 Intel have doubled its speed. Since 2007 ARM have made its chip 17 times faster. Last year Intel lost almost 25% market share to ARM. X86 have never been the fastest or best CPU. It have been good enough. SPARC for example was 64 bit in 1995. And that is REAL 64bit. Not extensions as Intel uses.

Informatic - November 6, 2012 at 1:03pm

The post above is complete nonsense, A6 better than Intel Processors? The first ARM based CPU to perform better than an Intel Processor was Exynos 5 (Cortex-A15) and it was better than an ATOM Processor (Atom Z2760). Do you really understand the difference between RISC (ARM) and CISC (Intel, AMD) cpus? Because if you really did you wouldn't even dare make such a comparison. At last, just so u learn something, ever heard of Itanium?

justabrake - November 6, 2012 at 6:47am

There trying to eliminate the competition and make the world apple only

Anyno - November 6, 2012 at 6:09am

if they do it apple will fall again :)

Eyez - November 6, 2012 at 5:06am

Apple is becoming the business no one wants to do business with. There thinking with there money instead of with there product.

thetruth - November 6, 2012 at 4:47am

Go read Steve Job's book. He wants every hardware/software created by Apple only. Ditching google maps is just the beginning...

JJ - November 6, 2012 at 4:20am

cos it worked so well last time...

King - November 6, 2012 at 3:44am

Just dont! Did you forget what happened when you went to make your own maps, for your own good just don't.

odedoo1 - November 6, 2012 at 3:27am

Why do you think he is a fool? maybe he is like me and like to be able to use both Apple and windows programs especially that there are way more Windows programs like office, games and free stuff then Apple will ever have!

chonburi - November 6, 2012 at 3:08am

not all programs out there run on just OSX.

Jeff - November 6, 2012 at 2:55am

The Enemy of GOOD is BETTER.. You went from IBM PPC to an Intel Chip, the world can live with this, YOUR own, you might stick to being a Hardware company and design OS that work, leave the Processors out....

jOE - November 6, 2012 at 1:50am

IF APPLE MOVE AWAY FROM INTEL YOU HAVE LOST A CUSTOMER. I WOULD LIKE MY DESKTOP TO BE ABLE TO RUN WINDOWS. UNLESS THEY CAN MAKE AN APPLE PROCESSOR THAT CAN RUN WINDOWS?