Apple to use Arm only. Implications?
 

https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/22/2...hips-wwdc-2020

I can get the implications for desktops; Apple have gone 68k --> PPC -->X86_64 already, now they're going to Arm64.

Now my RazPi 4 (4 core A-72 Cortex @ 1.5Ghz with 4G or ram and an sdcard for a disk) isn't a power machine, but afaik that's about 40nm wafer Fab, and simply using framebuffer, it outputs 2x4k hdmi @ 43fps, I'm told

Reduce that to 7 nm wafer fab gives you 3.5-4.5Ghz, 12-16 cores and bigger ram, throw in an SSD and an Apple video GPU that's a whole different ball game.

Now Arm64 (=aarch64) Linux systems are already out there. MacOS is based on BSD, so we haven't a long way to go to get linux on the new Macs.

This interests me because whenever this present laptop bites the dust, I intended to buy a desktop once, and keep it. I reckon I can, because we're pretty near what you can get out of silicon anyhow. Replace parts if they go. And I don't need some track-your-every-move OS; I can use linux.

Has anyone any insights, or experience with Mac booting?

The move to ARM is overdue. However, since they are making their own chips they are going to go much further down the lock-in path than most people are willing to imagine. Yet they'll go along anyway.

The litmus test will be whether Apple allows the BSDs and GNU/Linux distros to boot and, if so, for how much longer.

They spent a lot of money working on a joint effort with IBM on RISC (forgot other company). It won't be a huge change to go back to arm.

I assume it breaks their logic of holding on to all parts of the system.

They've done it before, I guess. 68K --> PPC --> X86_64 --> Arm.

I'm not sure it breaks their Logic. First, this has been in the works some time; Second Arm has definitely more potential. My RazPi 4 uses 15 watts (Allowing 2×0.5A for USB3); even give Apple 100 watts (not including display) they're still winning. It's a long way from the 500-600W we use today. Also, their tablets are Arm based, their phones are Arm based. I actually think it makes their logic, because they can interchange much more. You can have the same UI running on all 3.

I think Arm only has potential for most companies because the designers only create a processor instead of high paid Apple designers.

I'd assume that Apple would provide some input and try to integrate it across their hardware line. Bet it won't be anything like what one might find in a Pi.

The RPi boards are made down to a price, they could be more powerful, with more features, if it wasn't restrained by a price point.

In the old days, (I think it was AMIGA), ARM processors were way ahead of Intel, when it came to graphics rendering, so the potential is there.

Didn't those game systems start the notion that various graphical aspects of the game came from a dedicated computer? Seems I saw a Modern Marvels show about them.

As far as implications go, for Apple, that's up to Apple to worry about, in advance.

I feel there are some potential technical hurdles to surmount, but so long as they do resolve those prior to launch, they'll be fine.

I do not feel they're approaching this blindly, they are in fact producing their own chip.

While it is a risk, Apple has shown that they can make chips and thus improve their profitability because they'd no longer be required to use some other semiconductor company's CPUs.

Implications to the industry may be that they'll have a potential better price point for their platforms over AMD and Intel based solutions, maybe.

I agree. but the only place Raspberry Pi can move is up market. The SBC market is a crowded place. With the RazPi 3 or 4, you can stream hdmi multimedia and you're trespassing on the light/medium end of the PC space, for a fraction of the price. It will be interesting to see where they go next. Arm Macs will last a log longer on battery. It will be interesting to see their desktop offerings.

The implication is that you'll be able to install iOS on your RasPi soon ;)

Playing devil's advocate, their lock-in policy makes this feasible IMO. It's still very much unclear how they will get there, but they are free to make the very best out of it.

The customers won't care, won't even know probably, beyond increased battery life and less heat (I understand heat has been a long-standing problem with Aplle device, designed to be unobtrusive yet beautiful, nobody likes a loud, humming fan).

The majority of Apple's revenue comes from the iPhone and related devices. The Mac provides only 9.8% of Apple's revenue. https://www.investopedia.com/apple-s...siness-4684130

For Apple, leveraging their phone development to the Mac makes perfect business sense. Apple will make the transition as seamless as possible for customers.

Apple is not targeting the lunatic fringe who runs a non-Apple OS. :)
Ed

You mean us?:)
Actually, getting stuff running on the Pi is a major pain in the behind. The Pi doesn't use grub, but it's /boot dir is crowded Bootcode.bin is the GPU firmware, and that's read first. Then there's some argument about how the ram gets divvied out. The CPU firmware gets loaded next, and the cpu is allowed to settle the argument about the ram split, possibly consulting config.txt. Then there's a few files called start?.elf, and one of them has to be selected and run. Finally, with config.txt open, cmdline.txt is executed. The named kernel is run, jumping to the root partition specified, and all hell breaks loose if System.map is not from the same compile and/or the files from /lib/modules/version are from a different version

Yes, Linux and Windows users alike are outside the walled garden. :)
Ed

I disagree.

Apple is making their own ARM CPU, I do not feel it's going to ever be in a Pi, nor that it will be available for the general market to use on boards.

Me too. I was joking. Apparently the one smilie wasn''t enough so here's some more:
:D :) ;) :p (I hate that one) :party: :doh: :cool: