Apple says goodbye to Intel and will integrate Apple Silicon, its own processors for future Macs

The rumors were true, Apple says goodbye to Intel and launches its fourth transition. The technology giant, will debut its own processor: Apple Silicon, based on ARM, which may provide a more robust performance than current processors without sacrificing energy efficiency.

Apple considers this change the fourth transition, as the first one was made in 1994 when they moved from Motorola 68k processors to PowerPC.

The second, the arrival of Mac OS X and the third in 2005, when they moved from PowerPC to Intel.

This fourth change brings Apple Silicon to life, ranked as one of the most significant transformations in Apple’s leadership for 20 years.

Now, the Cupertino, California-based technology giant would manufacture processors not only their mobile devices, but also those of their Mac computers.

Apple Silicon processors are tailored to interact with Apple hardware and the new macOS Big Sur.

This legendary move from using its own processor architecture puts the Mac computers in the same vein with iPads and iPhones, which have chips designed by the company, to be able to use the native apps of these devices.

The reason why Apple is going through this change, it’s because the company believes its own Apple Silicon processors can provide more performance per watt than existing solutions.

But for Apple is not just a change of processor. It is a dream philosophy that eventually give rise to the unification of iOS and MacOS.

Even Apple announced the first applications, tools and development platforms that will run on its new ARM-based Apple Silicon processor.

In addition, it is ready to shift the platform for applications so developers can migrate their apps.

The first Mac computer with Apple Silicon will arrive at the end of this 2020. While, by 2021, we will see releases with both platforms, which will help with the transition.

Apple Silicon processor based on ARM

ARM probably sounds familiar to you and you’re right. This chip is linked to the world of mobile telephony.

The power of these chips is that they have always been associated with improved energy efficiency in a mobile environment, and this is the challenge of Cupertino, take it to a computer environment by increasing performance, without increasing consumption.

Now with a common chip platform means that macOS will support native iOS apps, and macOS apps will be compatible directly on iOS, offering users new options.

At Apple they are not escaping anything, and as part of this revolutionary shift, has launched a program known as ‘Quick Start’.

Quick Start will allow developers to have access to a special Mac computer, with an A12Z Bionic processor, which will help to test and contribute to transition process. They will save much work and can migrate their existing apps on x86 architecture to the new ARM platform.

Apparently, the beginning of this path looks good. Using the iPad Pro processor, Apple managed to move seamlessly Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop and also up to three 4K videos in Final Cut Pro.

For its part, the next version of the company’s operating system, macOS Big Sur, will include a new version of Rosetta, an application that was previously used to replace from PowerPC to Intel.

Rosetta 2 will automatically translate existing applications at installation time. Which means that, although the developers have not fully updated their apps, they should run smoothly on the new Mac ARM computers.

In addition to this, the technology giant will also use virtualization to run versions of Linux on these new Macs.

Apple wants to be completely independent

All changes take time, and this important initiative, codenamed Kalamata, is still at a very early stage in its development. However, its future promises.

This impending Apple strategy is part of what it wants to do in the coming years, and it is completely independent of other industry manufacturers to produce 100% its own components of the Mac, iPad and iPhone.

The move giant Apple has made, once again proves how determined it is to have control of every aspect of selling, from software to hardware.

Apple CEO said that the company still has some computers based on Intel in its portfolio which will give technical support for “many years”.

It should be noted that, as with the previous Mac, the new machines with the Apple Silicon can download software from outside Apple’s official app stores. One feature that differentiates them from iPhones and iPads, which mostly can only run software stores the company.

Apple have always surprised and proud with everything presented to their loyal users.

Maybe sometimes they are not the first to innovations, but are compelling to giving these strategic steps at the right time and that makes them unique.