Apple’s Macs in 2021 could come with their own in-house processors: Report

Apple could launch Macs with in-house processors by the first half of 2021, according to a new noted by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securitie

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Apple’s future Macs could come with an in-house processor from the company, rather than Intel processor. (Image of Apple MacBook Air. Image source: AP)

Apple could launch Macs with in-house processors by the first half of 2021, according to a new noted by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities, reported CNBC. This is not the first report to talk about how Apple plans to explore in-house processors for its Mac computers. Previously, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had reported in 2018 that Apple was working on plans to uses its own chipsets on Macs as well.

Existing MacBooks and Macs use Intel processors, but if Apple were to switch, it would mean a big blow to the chipset manufacturer. According to Kuo’s note, Apple could have a Mac designed on the ARM processor, similar to iPhones and iPads, which use the company’s own chipset. The ARM system design for chipsets is licensed by ARM Holdings.

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The report adds that in Kuo’s view Apple will use a new 5 nanometer or “5nm” process for its upcoming chips, which will be more advanced than the existing ones. Currently the iPhone 11 series has the A13 Bionic chipset based on the 7nm design. The smaller the size of the chipset, the more efficient it can be for the device because it is more densely packed.

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Further, Kuo has indicated that the new 5G iPhone and iPads in 2020 will use the 5nm design for their chipsets. They will likely run the A14 chipset, given the previous version came with the A13 Bionic. In his note, Kuo said that he expects Apple to adopt this new process for manufacturing its chipsets in the next 12 to 18 months.

According to a 2018 report, Apple’s plans for developing its own processors for Macs are part of an initiative code named Kalamata, though the report had noted that this was in the early developmental stages.

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The overall strategy here is to make all Apple devices, which would include Macs, iPhones and iPads work more seamlessly together. The report had said that changes to the hardware side would begin as early as 2020.

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