Apple – Just chipper

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Apple will need help to pull this off.

• Apple has made no secret of its desire to become more vertically integrated, and moving to its own silicon for the Mac is a natural step.
• However, migrating from x86 to ARM in Mac OS will require a lot of software tinkering from third parties to ensure that there is no loss of performance.
• This may be seen as the much-heralded merger of macOS and iOS but given that the usage of computers compared to smartphones has diverged so much over the last 5 years, I think it makes little sense to merge them completely.
• However, having both based on ARM should improve the cross-device functionality such that syncing of data, notifications and so on will become much more seamless than it is today.
• However, I think that the key to making this a success is out of Apple’s hands.
• This is because computers are now first, and foremost devices used for content creation and the primary apps that are used for these purposes are not created by Apple.
• Consequently, the likes of Microsoft, Adobe and so on will need to ensure that their productivity apps work just well on Apple’s silicon as they do Intel’s.
• If this proves not to be the case, then content creators are less likely to pick a Mac when it comes to choosing their next productivity tool.
• Microsoft has already gone some distance towards making this happen by ensuring that Office works well on Windows devices powered by ARM processors, but more tinkering will be needed.
• I think that this will be the key to whether this potential transition is successful, and I am sure that Apple will ensure that the key developers are on board before it makes a firm commitment to this course of action.
• The big loser here is Intel but this will be a much easier loss to endure than if it lost the data centre.
• Progress by ARM processors in the data centre progress is slow as all the software is currently written for x86 making a port to ARM a lengthy and onerous business.
• This potential switch will require Apple to produce a processor that is every bit as good as Intel’s which has been Intel’s core strength for decades.
• To be completely fair to Apple, the performance of the A11 bionic is industry leading and so I think Apple has a pretty good shot at pulling this off.
• In this environment of back-lash against the data driven monetisation models, Apple is likely to outperform the rest of its peers thanks to the fact that it gets paid by devices sales and is now able to wave the privacy flag with all its fervour.