On 18 October 2021, Apple released the new MacBook Pro notebook range. Specifically, Apple released the new M1 Pro and M1 Max processors to their Intel replacement portfolio. These processors should have Intel and AMD packing themselves. Here's why.
If you have not already done so, I recommend watching the Apple Keynote. The stuff about the two chips starts at 14:10. Even if you do not fully understand what Apple is talking about, it is a great watch.
To understand why Intel and AMD should be scared of Apple, we first need to look at Apple's processor history. It all started with the Apple I. Using the Motorola 6800 series processors allowed Apple to make a relatively cheap desktop for the consumer market. Eventually, Apple outgrew that processor and needed something more powerful. Enter the PowerPC, aka PPC.
Made by Motorola with IBM, the PowerPC was a RISC processor which allowed full performance while reducing power requirements. The reduction in power needs gave PPC a performance per watt ratio substantially higher than Intel.
Around this time, Apple gave Steve Jobs the boot, and they developed several projects. Some failed, but one stood out - the Newton MessagePad. The technology required to build this thing did not exist. Apple had neither the ability nor the resources to manufacture the needed chipset. So Apple worked with Acorn and developed the ARM - Acorn RISC Machine. Today it is known as Advanced RISC Machines or simply ARM. These processors allow smaller devices to be made due to lower power requirements and thus lower heat.
The MessagePad used the ARM 610 RISC from 1994 to 1997, where it then used the StrongARM SA-110 RISC until its cut in 1998.
ARMs were used in the iPods and then the iPhone. Of the iPhones, the original iPhone, 3G, 3GS all used Samsung's ARM processors. But thanks to Apple's purchase of PA Semi, Apple was able to start developing its own processors. The iPhone 4 was the first to include Apple Silicon. From this point on, all Apple's devices had Apple's silicon installed.
2006 saw Apple move from PPC to Intel. This move came because IBM was dragging the chain on developing high performance / low power chips. IBM had also sold a bunch of PPC processors to Microsoft for the original Xbox. Apple was the first PC manufacturer to use the Core Series processors, starting with the Core Solo. This was a 32bit, single-core processor based on the Pentium III. The more powerful MacBook Pros included the Core Duo later. A year later, Apple had started to move to the Core 2 Duo processor line. These were 64bit processors and signalled to the world that Apple were wanting to make powerful desktops and laptops and bring them to the consumer world. This push moved Intel to expand its chipset. This led to the i3, i5, and i7 which power the current Intel Macs.
Meanwhile, Apple was going great guns in expanding their own silicon. The release of the iPhone 5S saw a move that scared the pants off the mobile chip makers. Within 4 years Apple had gone from developing their own SOCs to developing a 64bit SOC. The first to reach the market. So sudden was this move, Qualcomm - who make most of the SOCs for mobiles today - came out and poo-pooed the A7. The CEO said, "No one needs a 64bit processor in a mobile phone". A week later, he told everyone that Qualcomm was actually developing their own and would be a year or two away. In the meantime, Apple was showing the world why a phone needed a 64bit processor. The camera app was able to take 100 photos, analyse them all, and stitch together all the best photos to make one great photo. All within the time it takes to press the button. The camera has become so much more powerful since.
When Apple moved to the Intel chips back in 2006, I could foresee it being a temporary move. I knew sooner or later Apple would reach the limits of what Intel was offering. They would find themselves stuck with the limit imposed by a company that was slow to innovate - if they ever would. If Apple was to change the entire game they would need to do it themselves. Welcome to the M1.
In one year, Apple has replaced the MacBook Air, Mac Mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro with their own System-On-A-Chip (SOC). These processors are impressive and have plenty of room for growth. Not only that, but Apple has written macOS to make full use of this power in ways it could never do with Intel chips.
In one year, Apple had no SOCs for their desktop and notebook machines. Now they have the most powerful notebook class processors on the market in terms of performance per watt. These processors are capable of streaming 30 Blu-Ray quality video streams at the same time. That's not something to take lightly.
With Metal 2 we'll start to see Mac gaming gather speed to a level that would rival anything on the Windows scene. The iPhone already has the potential to outshine game consoles.
If all this doesn't get the chip manufacturers nervous, then they are in for a shock. Remember, Apple is only one year into a two-year plan to remove all 3rd party processors from their machines. Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm can all laugh it off at the moment but, Qualcomm would have a short memory. Remember, Apple is pummelling Qualcomm in terms of performance in their A-series processors. Apple took the wind out of Qualcomm's sails with the A7 in the iPhone 5s and has not relented since. The entire mobile chip market is so far behind Apple. It only took them 4 years to achieve that. Look where Apple is within one year of desktop and notebook class processors. This should not be a laughing matter for the industry.
The mobile industry laughed at Apple for making the iPhone. There's a brilliant quote from the then CEO of Palm that goes like this:
“We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in.”
Apple did and history will tell you that the Palm CEO was dead wrong. Palm doesn't exist, neither does RIM who made the Blackberry. Ballmer is no longer CEO of Microsoft and Microsoft doesn't even play the mobile game anymore. Not only that, Nokia - that once bastion of the mobile world - doesn't exist in the same way anymore. Meanwhile, Apple is a $2 trillion company.
If Intel and AMD are not worried about Apple's move, they clearly do not understand what is going on. If this is the case, should they really be in control of an entire industry? Qualcomm already knows what Apple is capable of, yet the two major players seem oblivious to what Apple will do. The good news is that Intel is not that stupid. Intel knows it has a problem. If it didn't, why would their CEO think his company needs to develop better chips than Apple to win Apple back?
Next year is going to be the end game for the Intel Mac. At the end of next year, Apple will complete its move to end all Intel Macs in favour of its own silicon. At the end of next year, we will see what Apple will truly be capable of. I am super excited. It's going to be an amazing year for us Apple fans.