Intel mode emergency

MarketWatch columnist Therese Poletti wrote that there are currently rumors that Apple Computer may completely abandon Intel chips, and in the post-PC era where all players are trying to control all aspects of their development, this is likely to be the general trend.

If Apple really abandons Intel and does not use the latter's chips in its Mac series of computer products, then this can be interpreted as a sign of a major change in the personal computer industry, and for the chip giant, this is a real deal. The bad news.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Apple is looking for a replacement for Intel's microprocessors for the Mac—as early as 2005, Apple began using Intel's products in Macs. The report estimates that even if Apple made changes, it was the first time in 2017.

In order to make such a change, Apple will develop its own chips based on ARM-licensed technology, and it will also need the help of TSMC and others.

Analysts said they would not be surprised at this statement because, in fact, rumors like this have been on the market for at least a few months. Some analysts are highly skeptical that such a thing cannot happen, but in any case, at least one thing is already very clear: If Apple starts designing its own computer chips independently, other players will follow suit. Intel's stock price was then suppressed by news.

"We believe that Apple is the vanguard of such changes. If Apple and Microsoft bid farewell to Intel and move toward ARM-based PCs, we would not be surprised at all." Piper Jaffray analyst Gus Richard In a research report on Tuesday, wrote: "We think this is obviously a bad trend for Intel."

Intel’s correspondent for MarketWatch stated that if you have any questions, please consult Apple. Both Apple and ARM declined to comment.

If Apple really made such a decision, it would indeed be a trivial matter, because switching core processors is not simply abandoning a chip, changing it to another chip, or simply not a small transformation of the supply chain. . Apple must rewrite their Mac operating system to match the ARM architecture, just as they did when they used Intel PowerPC series chips.

Apple’s recent high-level personnel changes and the announcement of better collaboration between the hardware and software sectors have objectively further convinced speculators in the market that certain things are going to happen.

Richard said that this will be a bad trend for Intel, and this statement actually applies not only to changes that may occur, but this is the case with the increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets.

All companies developing software and mobile devices, whether Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or other players, are now highly concerned with user experience, and naturally want to gain greater control over all their product development. As you can see, Microsoft decided to design its own Surface tablet product, which was the first time that they had abandoned Intel's efforts for many years. Surface RT uses ARM-based chips, but the next Surface will use Intel chips.

Kevin Krewell, a senior analyst at the Linley Group, recalls that this rumor about Apple has been around for some time. "ARM's new generation of 64-bit products will be available in 2014 ... more suitable for personal computers." Klewel added in the e-mail that at the moment he is typing on the Surface, this tablet is used from NVIDIA, Tegra 3 chip based on ARM technology, "good run."

Now, players are struggling to control all parts of the entire tablet and smartphone ecosystem, from the operating system to the application storefront to the hardware itself, so naturally they will want to be able to control all aspects of the development process. This is a huge difference from the personal computer industry. In the latter, players buy various components. Their task is essentially assembly, plus a little innovation.

ARM's design allows companies to add their own elements and tailor their chips to their products. When dealing with Intel, the latter is different. The latter designs and produces standard chips that companies can only purchase directly. Apple's mobile phones and tablet products use ARM-based processors.

Richard concluded: "One of the major impacts of the post-PC era is that players will return to internally developed chips rather than wholesale standard processors."

Gartner Inc. analyst Sergis Mushell does not believe that Apple will turn all Mac products to ARM's design. "I don't think they just gave up a molded product line just for their own chips," said Muschel. "They only choose to act when it is really significant." Whether or not the entire personal computer industry will embrace ARM designs, the key question is whether these chips can really meet all needs, including compatibility with previous Windows software implementations?

“Do we really want to enter an era where all the needs of all people can be met from ARM?” he stressed that in the recent news about ARM, the company also said that their server chips are super microprocessors. Instead of traditional servers, "their horsepower doesn't reach the size of x86." Obviously, he thinks that Intel's architecture is not yet outdated.

In this regard, Intel has also been working hard to develop low-energy products to meet the needs of tablets and smart phones, but at least for now, their main income is also from personal computers and servers.

However, if Apple really decides to eventually develop more of its own chips, and other players follow it up, as the world’s largest chip maker and one of the few players with their own huge factories, Intel’s fear is that Reassess the huge cost of their investment in manufacturing and reassess their own business model.