Apple Inc. is planning to use its own chips in Mac computers beginning as early as 2020, replacing processors from Intel Corp., according to people familiar with the plans.
The initiative, code named Kalamata, is still in the early developmental stages, but comes as part of a larger strategy to make all of Apple's devices -- including Macs, iPhones, and iPads -- work more similarly and seamlessly together, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The project, which executives have approved, will likely result in a multi-step transition.
The shift would be a blow to Intel, whose partnership helped revive Apple's Mac success and linked the chipmaker to one of the leading brands in electronics. Apple provides Intel with about 5 percent of its annual revenue, according to Bloomberg supply chain analysis.
Intel shares dropped as much as 9.2 percent, the biggest intraday drop in more than two years, on the news. They were down 6.4 percent at $48.75 at 3:30 p.m. in New York.
No interest in Apple hardware but it would be interesting to see how they implement a hybrid Desktop/Tablet OS DE. I'm sure Ubuntu and Gnome will follow.
(Score: 2) by physicsmajor on Tuesday April 03 2018, @04:47PM (1 child)
Apple has telegraphed that they do not care about the high end at all anymore. Just look at the current so-called Mac "Pro", which is a hilarious dinosaur.
Professionals still using Macs are buying the cheese grater machines from even further back and trying to upgrade the gpus. These people basically have Stockholm syndrome.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 04 2018, @03:16AM
This move is hardly surprising, as it's really just the another step in their progression of turning the Mac into an iPad with a keyboard. Apple hasn't been serious about making computers now for several years. Honestly, I'm not even sure why they even bother anymore unless they figure it would be too much work to port their iOS development tools over to Windows.