Report: Macs to branch from Intel chips


Bloomberg:

Apple Inc. is planning to use its own chips in Mac computers beginning as early as 2020, replacing processors from Intel Corp., according to people familiar with the plans.

The initiative, code named Kalamata, is still in the early developmental stages, but comes as part of a larger strategy to make all of Apple’s devices -- including Macs, iPhones, and iPads -- work more similarly and seamlessly together, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The project, which executives have approved, will likely result in a multi-step transition.

This would be an ambitious project, but Apple has undergone platform migrations of this scale. First to PowerPC, then to Intel-based processors. This would be a different, however, by converging two platforms into one rather than migrating to a new architecture.

Apple has been doing some custom Mac chips. It seems logical it may eventually release its own CPU given its competencies and capacity to do so from its iOS platform. It will be interesting to see if Apple will bring macOS to the A-series CPUs it currently develops for its iOS devices, or whether it will launch a new line of CPUs to run macOS, even as an interim. It will be interesting too to see if Apple will offer a mix of Intel and its own CPUs, particularly for more powerful products in its desktops and higher-end laptops that have demanding professional applications.