“KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo published a report speculating that by 2016, people will have the option of buying ARM-based Apple iMacs and MacBooks. Kuo suggested that Apple will drop Intel processors to better manage the launch cycle of Mac OS X desktop computers,” Alcaraz Research writes for Seeking Alpha. “Kuo speculates that the ‘desktop-quality’ of Apple’s upcoming A9X and A10X 64-bit ARM-based processors will achieve performance numbers that are between Intel’s Atom and Core i3 x86 processors. He claims that 16nm A9X chips (that will be produced by TSMC) in 2016 will power future versions of the iPad and low-end Macs.”
“Kuo also claims that the Apple A10X will move to the 10nanometer production line of Samsung in 2016,” Alcaraz Research writes. “Mr. Kuo is only around 50% accurate in his Apple musings so I am treating this latest speculation from him with disbelief. I am both long INTC and AAPL. After the disaster with GT Advanced Technologies, I firmly believe Tim Cook will not again experiment with Apple’s best-selling products.”
“Mac computers are seeing impressive sales with Intel Inside them. IDC reports that Apple is now the 5th biggest PC vendor in the world. Why would Tim Cook endanger this good thing by experimenting?” Alcaraz Research asks. “Apple will be alienating millions of moneyed creative professionals if it starts selling low-end ARM-based Mac OS X computers.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Who said anything about the Mac Pro (or even the “iMac Pro”) going to Apple A-series processors? “Moneyed creative professionals” will still have their Macs and the software they want will still run on them. The so-called “disaster” with GT Advanced is not a good reason. ARM is not a Mickey Mouse operation like GT Advanced was before they totally blew their one big chance. There is no reason why Apple could not offer both A-series-powered Macs and Intel-based Macs. The two are not mutually exclusive and no disaster would occur.
Related articles:
KGI: Apple is designing its own processors for Mac – January 14, 2015
Apple A9-powered MacBook Air? – December 16, 2014
Why Apple will switch to ARM-based Apple A-series-powered Macs – August 27, 2014
Intel-powered Macs: The end is nigh – August 4, 2014
Intel’s Broadwell chips further delayed; not shipping for most Macs until early-mid 2015 – July 9, 2014
Apple will inevitably drop Intel for their own A-series processors in the Mac – June 26, 2014
How long before Apple dumps Intel from MacBook Air? – June 26, 2013
