Apple said it will phase out machines running Intel-based processors.
Photo: Xinhua/Zuma Press
Apple Inc. on Monday announced a shift from Intel -based processors to its custom-designed chips for future Mac computers, a move that will have major repercussions for Mac users.
The company said new computers running Apple silicon will see gains in battery life and performance because of the tighter integration between hardware and software. Meanwhile, the company will phase out machines running Intel-based processors.
The transition is similar to one back in 2006, when Apple switched its Mac chips from PowerPC to Intel. Here’s what you need to know:
What’s the timeline?
The first commercially available Mac with the Apple chipset will ship by the end of this year, said Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook. You can expect all new MacBook laptops and Mac desktop computers to run on the new processors within two years, he said.
Monday’s news recalled a 2006 move away from PowerPC chips to those made by Intel.
Photo: AppleDevelopers can start building and testing their apps for the coming computers by applying for the Developer Transition Kit. This includes a Mac Mini running Apple’s A12Z Bionic processor, currently found in the latest iPad Pro models.
When will my Intel-based Mac become obsolete?
It’s unclear, but it won’t be soon. Mr. Cook said that new Intel-based Macs are “in the pipeline,” alongside the new Apple-chip Macs. He also said Apple will continue to support and release new versions of the Mac operating system for Intel-based computers for “years to come.”
Apple pulled support for PowerPC only three years after announcing plans to use Intel chips in 2006. When I spoke with Steve Baker, the primary hardware analyst at NPD Group, a tech-industry research firm, he said this transition would likely last longer, because Apple has greater market share now.
Once Apple stops releasing Intel-compatible MacOS updates, your old Mac won’t just become an expensive paperweight overnight. You’ll still be able to use your computer—but you might not be able to update to the newest, latest operating system, even if you bought one of those six-month-old $10,000-and-up Mac Pro machines.
It’s probably good to be more cautious about buying an Intel-based Mac at this point, since the coming generation of Macs will likely be more future proof.
How will the new chips affect performance or battery life?
The aim of the move is to infuse a higher level of performance in computers while consuming less power, said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, during a virtual keynote Monday. He pointed to the iPhone and iPad as examples of the company’s success in transitioning to its own silicon, boasting that the iPhone has run on Apple chips since 2010, and the CPU performance has improved 100 times over 10 years.
By making its own chips, Apple has more control over power management for battery life, as well as the computer’s processing capabilities and security features. Of course, we haven’t tested any of this for ourselves, and some performance depends on third-party software.
What software will be available for the new Apple-powered Macs?
Apple was strategic in its demo during the keynote, showing apps from two sometimes-rival software giants running smoothly on a Mac powered with the iPad Pro’s A12Z silicon.
Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, speaks during Monday’s presentation. ‘Big Sur’ is the name of the company’s latest operating system.
Photo: apple/ReutersCraig Federighi, senior vice president of software, showed off Microsoft Corp. ’s PowerPoint software rendering a 3-D animation of multiple slides. The same computer also smoothly ran a five-gigabyte file with many layers on Adobe’s Photoshop, as well as three simultaneous 4K videos playing back in Apple’s own Final Cut Pro application.
We’ll have to wait and see what other software makers are supporting the new processor, but Mr. Federighi said the company was providing software that makes it possible to port an Intel-optimized app over in a matter of days.
Can I use old apps on the new processor?
The latest version of MacOS, Big Sur, also announced Monday, includes Rosetta 2, which automatically makes existing apps work with the new processor architecture. Mr. Federighi said Rosetta 2 will be able to port over “pro” apps and plug-ins. They’re translated when you install the apps, and Apple said the experience is “transparent to users.”
And the big question: Can I finally use my iOS apps on my Mac?
Yes. Apple’s new Macs will run on the same processor architecture as iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. So you can run iOS apps—like the game “Monument Valley,” guitar tutor Fender Play or the Calm meditation app, which were shown during the keynote—natively in what Apple calls a “virtual environment.” The iOS apps will be downloadable through the Mac App Store.
Macs running on Apple's own chips will run apps designed for iPads and iPhones, the company said.
Photo: AppleEmail your Mac-related queries to nicole.nguyen@wsj.com. For more WSJ Technology analysis, reviews, advice and headlines, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Write to Nicole Nguyen at nicole.nguyen@wsj.com
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