For years we have been hearing that Apple also wants to manufacture the processors for its computers and that moment could be very close. Keep in mind that this is not a major change since the processors that Apple manufactures are based on the ARM architecture, and the Intel processors of current Macs have the X86 architecture.
This is quite a challenge full of obstacles and, also, of advantages that we have already analyzed, but basically this change in architecture would mean that all the programs and apps designed for the current Mac would not be compatible with the new processors, unless Apple launch a tool that allows it.
This jump was not possible until now since x86 processors were much more powerful than ARMs, however this distance has been drastically reduced in recent years and we know that Apple is already able to match the current power of Intel processors with its A series processors. And for this reason the launch of a Macbook with ARM processor is really close, and Ming-Chi Kuo has just revealed that we could see it this year.
In a note released by one of Apple’s top analysts, Ming-Chi Kuo, and echoed by MacRumors, the analyst says Apple is considering launching MacBook models with its own custom processors in the fourth quarter of 2020. or the first quarter of 2021. Kuo did not say whether these will be MacBook Pro models, MacBook Air models, or both, or neither (will the defunct 12-inch MacBook be resurrected?).
Kuo has not revealed more information about this new device so we really do not know much more, however it seems that the start of the change is very close. In addition to this, the analyst also thinks that Apple will introduce a completely new design MacBook in the second or third quarter of 2021, but again, we don’t know if it will be a Pro or Air model. The last major significant redesign of the MacBook Pro came in October 2016, while the MacBook Air received a major redesign in October 2018, following the lines released by its older brother.
In addition to this we could see two new models, both MacBook Air and MacBook Pro very soon. These new models would not change much of their design, but would include the new generation of keyboard that already includes the recently presented 16-inch MacBook Pro. As we see, many news related to Apple laptops await us throughout this year and next year, although all this is likely to be canceled or delayed, and more so seeing the danger that the coronavirus is currently causing.
The new MacBook with ARM would be the first stone of the way to become independent from Intel and that Apple can much better schedule the launch of its devices. Right now Apple depends on Intel to launch new processors, which often hardly represent a noticeable improvement, in a few years Apple will control everything in a similar way as it does on iPhone and iPad.