Intel-based Macs could be a thing of the past as Apple pivots to 'homegrown' chip
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At Apple's biggest event of the year, the company's Worldwide Developers Conference(WWDC 2023), it did more than announce its most anticipated product - the mixed-reality headset Vision Pro. The Cupertino-based company unveiled multiple new computers that were not powered by Intel like its predecessors but by the next generation of Apple silicon - the M2 chip.
Before Apple launched its M-series of processors and announced the transition to its chips in 2020, Intel was Apple's sole supplier. The American chipmaker is now facing the heat after Apple announced the completion of the transition.
Apple already uses its self-designed chips in its popular iPhones. The move to incorporate them into computers is expected to bring more efficiency into Apple's Mac lineup, increasing their efficiency under heavy workloads while also extracting more juice from the batteries, a report from Bloomberg said.
Apple unveils next-generation silicon
Not only is Apple using the M2 chip on its newer 15-inch Macbook Air, but also it will be available in just about a week from today. The computer is only 11.5 mm thin, giving Apple bragging rights for the world's thinnest 15-inch laptop.
Apple has minced no words to claim that the device is 12 times faster than the previous Macbook Air, which was powered by an Intel processor. The M2 chip gives the new Macbook Air an eight-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural engine.
For the Mac Studio and Mac Pro — claimed to be the most powerful Macs made to date — Apple has used the Max and Ultra versions of the M2 chips. The M2 Max makes the Mac Studio four times faster than the Intel-powered iMac, thanks to the 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU.
For the Mac Pro, Apple's M2 Ultra offers a 24-core CPU to begin with, unlike the eight-core option available with Intel-powered predecessors. The 76-core GPU is supported by seven Afterburner cards which can play 22 streams of 8k ProRes videos, the company claims on its website.
The chip wars get more intense
Apple's entry into chip-making puts a lot of pressure on Intel, even though it is unlikely that Apple will use the tech to power anything other than its own devices. Markets reacted negatively to Apple's unveiling of new chips and sent Intel's stock price tumbling by nearly five percent, CNBC reported.
Intel has also been at the receiving end of shrinking PC shipments globally. After the peak in demand during the pandemic, PC shipments shrunk by 30 percent. Losing a customer like Apple is bound to hit Intel hard but the company is losing its dominance in other areas too.
Over the years, AMD has been consolidating its position as a chip maker for PCs and data centers too, not just gaming devices. The recent surge in demand for chips to cater to artificial intelligence (AI) projects is also being directed toward Nvidia.
As per a Reuters report, Intel's pipeline of products to cater to this demand is expected in 2025, which might be a bit too late if the spate of AI development continues.
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