Apple could be planning to stop apps written for Intel chips from working on M1-powered Macs.
New code discovered in the latest macOS Big Sur 11.3 beta suggests Apple might remove Rosetta 2, the software that translates older software to run on the new generation of Macs, at least in some regions.
February 14, 1995: Apple Computer extends a lawsuit against developer San Francisco Canyon Company to also include Microsoft and Intel. The lawsuit concerns code allegedly stolen from Apple and used to improve Microsoft’s Video for Windows technology.
The lawsuit comes to a head with Apple threatening a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Microsoft. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates threatens to cancel Office for Mac.
The original MacBook Pro brought innovative features (and stirred up a bit of controversy). Photo: Apple
January 10, 2006: Steve Jobs unveils the original 15-inch MacBook Pro, Apple’s thinnest, fastest and lightest laptop yet.
Building on the previous PowerBook G4 laptop, the new laptop adds dual-core Intel processors for the first time. The MacBook Pro immediately makes waves in the tech community. And did we mention its awesome MagSafe connector?
Should Apple have licensed Mac OS back in the early 1990s? Photo: Thomas Hawk/Flickr CC
December 4, 1992: Apple engineers demonstrate a “proof of concept” of the Mac operating system running on an Intel computer.
More than a decade before Macs will switch to Intel processors, the astonishing feat is part of an aborted plan to make Apple’s software available on other manufacturer’s hardware. Apple ultimately chickens out, fearing (probably correctly) that this will hurt Macintosh sales.
Gaming is about to get a lot better on Mac. Photo: Apple
Apple’s new M1 chipset has been blowing away rival Intel chips in CPU performance benchmarks, and it doesn’t stop there. It turns out Apple Silicon can give many graphics cards a run for their money, too.
New tests reveal the M1 easily outperforms the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 560 in graphics benchmarks. It could make gaming on a Mac better than ever.
Get the 2020 MacBook Air with Intel processor while you can. Photo: Apple
The Intel-based MacBook Air is quickly disappearing. Apple introduced the the first version of this svelte laptop with an M1 processor on Tuesday, and pulled the previous version off the Apple online store.
It isn’t unusual for a new Mac to replace on older one. But the MacBook Air just made a quantum leap to a new type of processor, and some people are likely still interested in one with an Intel processor. The supply is dwindling, though.
Apple M1 processor outperforms PC chips, even while using less power. Chart: Apple
Apple improved its processors’ performance by a massive 3x in the past five years, according to analysis carried out by AnandTech. Meanwhile, Intel’s best single-thread performance only improved 28% during that same time frame.
The stats help cement why the risky jump from Intel to Apple Silicon in Macs makes a whole lot of sense.
The 2020 iMac is certainly worth your cash. Photo: Apple
Apple’s newest iMac is by far the fastest yet, with huge increases in both CPU and GPU performance. It also ships with improved speakers and microphones. And yet, it seems a lot of Apple fans don’t care.
The reason? The new iMac is powered by Intel processors, like all its predecessors since 2006, instead of Apple Silicon. Since Apple revealed its plan to switch to its own custom chips at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Intel processors just don’t hold the same appeal.
But there are some great reasons to continue buying Intel-powered Macs in 2020. Here are a few.
The new iMac looks just like the old one (only faster). Photo: Apple
The wait for Apple’s newest iMac is over. Cupertino today dropped a faster all-in-one with an even more glorious Retina 5K display, an upgraded 1080p FaceTime camera, and improved speakers and microphones.
You can order your new 27-inch model today, starting from $1,799,
Now that Apple is giving up Intel, and Surface Pro X shows Microsoft is considering it, the future could be grim for Intel. Photo: Microsoft
Macs moving from Intel to Apple Silicon could cause Windows computer-makers to dump Intel as well, according to Jean-Louis Gassée, the former head of Mac development back in the 1980s. He thinks the move could be led by Microsoft.