Apple Announces Event for November 10th: Arm-Based Macs Expected
by Ryan Smith on November 2, 2020 12:30 PM EST
We don’t normally publish news posts about Apple sending out RSVPs for product launch events, but this one should be especially interesting.
This morning Apple has sent notice that they’re holding an event next Tuesday dubbed “One more thing.” In traditional Apple fashion, the announcement doesn’t contain any detailed information about the content expected; but as Apple has already announced their updated iPads and iPhones, the only thing left on Apple’s list for the year is Macs. Specifically, their forthcoming Arm-powered Macs.
As previously announced by Apple back at their summer WWDC event, the company is transitioning its Mac lineup from x86 CPUs to Arm CPUs. With a two-year transition plan in mind, Apple is planning to start the Arm Mac transition this year, and wrapping things up in 2022.
For the new Arm Macs, Apple will of course be using their own in-house designed Arm processors, the A-series. As we’ve seen time and time again from the company, Apple’s CPU design team is on the cutting-edge of Arm CPU cores, producing the fastest Arm CPU cores for several years running now, and more recently even overtaking Intel’s x86 chips in real-world Instruction Per Clock (IPC) rates. Suffice it to say, Apple believes they can do better than Intel by designing their own CPUs, and especially with the benefits of vertical integration and total platform control, they might be right.
Apple has been shipping early Arm Macs to developers since the summer, using modified Mac Minis containing their A12Z silicon. We’re obviously expecting something newer, but whether it’s a variant of Apple’s A14 SoC, or perhaps something newer and more bespoke specifically for their Macs, remains to be seen.
In the meantime, because this is a phased transition, Apple will be selling Intel Macs – including new models – alongside the planned Arm Macs. So although Apple will no doubt focus on their new Arm Macs, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see some new Intel Macs announced alongside them. Apple will be supporting Intel Macs for years to come, and in the meantime they need to avoid Osborning their x86 systems.
As always, we’ll have a live blog of the events next Tuesday, along with a breakdown of Apple’s announcements afterwards. So please be sure to drop in and check that out.
Source: Apple
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senjaz - Wednesday, November 4, 2020 - link
The OS X Server as an app doesn't even exist in its original sense any more. Some functions were moved in a limited way into System Preferences, many were just dropped all together. It really left us out to dry. The only reasons for using a Mac as a server these days is the Xcode server tool for continuous integration within teams and for mobile device management.Email – gone
Calendar – gone
Web server – gone
OpenDirectory – gone
DNS – gone
File Sharing – crippled and moved to System Preferences
Update Caching – moved to System Preferences Reply
npz - Monday, November 2, 2020 - link
Everything is already app store driven on OSX just like iOS. That top-down walled garden approach is advantageous in enforcing architectural software compliance, not to mention content compliance/restrictions as well. ReplyFulljack - Tuesday, November 3, 2020 - link
just like Apple's answer to right to repair. just make it unrepairable by the common folks. Replymdriftmeyer - Wednesday, November 4, 2020 - link
It's not actually. There are lots of 3rd party OEMs that aren't on the App Store. In the Professional Video and Audio markets none of it is on the AppStore. The Scientific markets, all not on the AppStore., etc. Replymarees - Monday, November 2, 2020 - link
When did AnandTech start posting rumors 🤔 😉 Replyname99 - Monday, November 2, 2020 - link
So now we're calling official communication from Apple corporate rumors?https://www.apple.com/apple-events/
OK then. Reply
marees - Saturday, November 7, 2020 - link
Where does Apple say that they are introducing a macbook with Arm chip? ReplyMac User - Monday, November 2, 2020 - link
I have to say that Apple Silicon Mac will be a historical for the computer industry itself for several reasons. It's up to Apple to succeed or not. Technically, nobody cant do that since Apple can make both hardware and software by themselves. Microsoft seems failed with ARM based computer so far. Replyalumine - Tuesday, November 3, 2020 - link
Inherently Windows on ARM *on its own* isn't bad - but the lack of a vibrant native software ecosystem is the major pain point at the moment.The killer feature for Windows has always been its massive software library and userbase (including virtually all devices having driver support on Windows) - sadly moving to Win10 on ARM basically nukes most of that.... Reply
flyingpants265 - Wednesday, November 4, 2020 - link
This has all been fixable with stuff like seamless VMs for a long while now. Reply