Apple plans to replace Intel chips; will use its own custom Mac chips from 2020
Apple is reportedly planning to replace processors from Intel Corp. with its own designed CPU chips in its Mac computers as early as 2020, reports Bloomberg.
According to Bloomberg who cited “people familiar with the plans”, say that the new plan is part of an initiative named “Kalamata”, which is expected to help all Apple devices, including Macs, iPhones, and iPads, and work more seamlessly together. The Kalamata initiative will allow Apple’s design and engineering teams to have a much greater control over the power and features they wish to implement. The Cupertino giant already designs its own ARM-based chips that it uses in iPhones, iPads, Watches and Apple TV devices.
By moving away from Intel chips will allow Apple to freely release new Mac models without having to wait on new Intel chips. The company will also be able to produce new systems without having to depend on when Intel would be able to put new chips into production.
“The shift would also allow Cupertino, California-based Apple to more quickly bring new features to all of its products and differentiate them from the competition. Using its own main chips would make Apple the only major PC maker to use its own processors. Dell Technologies Inc., HP Inc., Lenovo Group Ltd., and Asustek Computer Inc. use Intel chips.
“By using its own chips, Apple would be able to more tightly integrate new hardware and software, potentially resulting in systems with better battery life — similar to iPads, which use Apple chips.”
The Mac chip plans are said to be in the early stages of development and the transition to Apple chips in hardware is likely to begin with laptops such as the 12-inch MacBook as early as 2020. However, the changes to the software side is expected to begin even before that. The transition from Intel chips to Apple chips is likely to result in a multi-step transition.
Apple is also reportedly working on a new software platform internally dubbed as “Marzipan”, which would allow users to run iPhone and iPad apps on Macs, according to an earlier Bloomberg report.
The move by Apple saw Intel’s stock suffering a setback, as it had dropped by six percent by Monday evening. According to Bloomberg, Apple approximately accounts for five percent of Intel’s annual revenue.
Source: Bloomberg
