Mac transition to Apple Silicon

In 1990, Acorn Computers made Apple the first significant third-party user of its ARM architecture, in the Newton personal digital assistant. The deal moved the ARM project to the separate legal entity ARM Holdings, in which Apple took a 43% stake,[5][6] and ARM was renamed from "Acorn RISC Machine" to "Advanced RISC Machines".

A first-generation MacBook Pro from 2006, one of the first line of Mac computers to feature an Intel processor instead of a PowerPC processor.

Since Apple's 2005–2006 transition to Intel processors, all Macintosh computers have used Intel's x86 CPU architecture. During his 2005 WWDC keynote address, Steve Jobs noted that Intel-based processors outperformed IBM's PowerPC processors in terms of energy consumption, and that if Apple continued to rely on PowerPC technology, it would be unable to build the future Macs it envisioned, including higher-performance workstation computers and advanced laptops for a rapidly growing laptop market: "As we look ahead, we can envision some amazing products we want to build ... And we don't know how to build them with the future PowerPC roadmap."[7][8] By June 2006, only Apple's high-end desktop computer and server product were still using PowerPC processors.[9] The hardware transition was completed when Intel-based Mac Pros and Xserve computers were announced in August 2006 and shipped by the end of the year.[10][11]

Apple ceased support for booting on PowerPC as of Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard"[12] in August 2009,[13] three years after the transition was complete. Support for PowerPC applications via Rosetta was dropped from macOS in 10.7 "Lion"[14] in July 2011, five years after the transition was complete.[15]

An illustration of the Apple A12Z processor.

In 2009, Apple bought processor company P.A. Semi for US$278 million.[16] At the time, it was reported that Apple bought P.A. Semi for its intellectual property and engineering talent.[17] CEO Steve Jobs later claimed that P.A. Semi would develop system-on-chips for Apple's iPods and iPhones.[4] Apple then released a number of products with its own processors.

Rumors of Apple shifting Macintosh to custom-designed ARM processors began circulating in 2011, when SemiAccurate predicted it would happen by mid-2013.[18] In 2014, MacRumors reported that Apple was testing an ARM-based Mac prototype with a large Magic Trackpad.[19] In 2018, Bloomberg reported that Apple was planning to use its own chips based on the ARM architecture beginning in 2020.[20]

In the 2010s, media reports documented Apple's frustrations and challenges with the pace and quality of Intel's technology development.[21] Apple reportedly had trouble with Intel modems for iPhones in 2017 due to technical issues and missed deadlines.[22] Meanwhile, a 2018 report suggested that Intel chip issues prompted a redesign of the MacBook.[23] In 2019, Apple blamed Intel processor shortages for a decline in Mac sales.[24]

As of 2020, the Apple A12X processor used in the 2018 iPad Pro reportedly roughly matched the performance of Intel's Core i7 processor used in the MacBook Pro at the time.[25]

In the months and weeks leading up to Apple's 2020 WWDC, multiple media reports anticipated an official announcement of the transition during the event.[26][27]

On November 10, 2020, Apple announced the Apple M1, its first ARM-based processor for the Mac, alongside updated models of the Mac Mini, MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro based on it.[28]

In an interview shortly after the announcement of the transition, Apple senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi praised the performance of the Developer Transition Kit (DTK), Apple's prototype ARM-based Mac: "Even that DTK hardware, which is running on an existing iPad chip that we don’t intend to put in a Mac in the future—it's just there for the transition—the Mac runs awfully nice on that system. It's not a basis on which to judge future Macs ... but it gives you a sense of what our silicon team can do when they’re not even trying—and they're going to be trying."[35][36]

The transition may allow Apple to cut component costs, because it will no longer need to externally acquire expensive CPUs due to vertical integration.[2]

In June 2020, tech analyst Daniel Newman estimated that Apple accounts for some $1.5 billion to $3.0 billion (about 2% to 4%) of Intel's annual revenue,[37] and only 6.9–12% of the PC market in the United States of America[38][39] and 7% globally.[40] Longer-term speculation holds that the transition could prompt other PC makers to reevaluate their dependence on Intel's x86 architecture, as Macs sometimes set trends in the personal computing industry.[38][39]

As apps created to run on the iOS platform will be able to run natively on ARM-powered Macs, Apple hopes that the streamlining of software and hardware will make it easier for developers to build apps that will work across Apple’s entire range of devices.[41]

Apps created for the iOS platform will be able to run natively on ARM-powered Macs, adding to the software available to the Macintosh.[41]

The transition could lead to thinner and lighter Mac laptops because Apple's processors use less power than Intel's.[38]

The transition could severely restrict or even eliminate hobbyist "Hackintosh" computers, in which macOS runs on commodity PC hardware in violation of license restrictions.[42][43]

The Boot Camp software, which enables Intel-based Macs to natively run Microsoft Windows in an Apple-supported dual booting environment, will not be implemented on Apple silicon-based Macs. As of late June 2020, Apple stated it has "no plans to direct boot into Windows" on ARM-based Macintosh computers. Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi suggested that virtualization technology is a viable alternative: "Purely virtualization is the route... Hypervisors can be very efficient, so the need to direct boot shouldn't really be the concern."[44][45] Microsoft had not commented on whether it would extend its ARM-based Windows license beyond OEM preinstallations.[44]