Why MacBooks won’t run on an ARM Processor
While there is certainly talk of Apple gaining independence and making its own ARM based processor for MAC, this is not really a good move for the company. Recently there were reports about Apple moving away from Intel processors for its Macbook and instead installing macbooks on ARM based processors.
ARM based processors have their own advantages. Apple will be able to integrate fingerprint, display and touch functions with the ARM based processor. They are power efficient, fast, will make computers lighter and thinner while at the same time running on a processing power equivalent to other processors.
ARM based processors are being thought of for only macbooks at present. All other devices such as mac pro, mac mini or Imacs will run on intel processors.
All this said and done, having an ARM based processor is not an ideal situation for Apple as then macbooks would not run on current versions of macOS.
This means that one of three things could happen. Either Apple does away with its desktop line of business or has macbooks made that are actually a little bigger than an Ipad or alternatively make new versions of macOS for various of its products.
Macbook as a Giant iPad- If Apple is really considering taking up to making Macbooks with ARM based processors then their macbooks are going to start looking like oversized ipads.
This is not altogether bad since Apple knows that inspite of an iPad coming with multiple apps and quality processors it is still unable to match up with the functioning of a notebook.
However if Apple does proceed with this step it will need to adapt its MacOS to the new processor. Basically the ARM based processor will require new architecture in which to function.
This processor would require professional software to run, this may not be a very cost effective way to implement the processor and sales of macbooks installed with such a processor would not do well.
Maintaining two processors- If Apple goes ahead with this move, it is going to have to create two macOS, one for ARM based processors and one for intel processors. As mentioned earlier only macbooks would run on ARM processors while all the rest would run on intel processors.
Having different processors means that the macOS would have to be configured to meet both processors different needs and architecture. This is a difficult process not to mention the fact that both these different operating systems would have to be maintained, what with all the updates and such.
No desktop line of business- Instead of all the hulabaloo of adjusting and maintaining different macOS for different processors, Apple can consider getting rid of its desktop line of business.
But would you get rid of something that may not be a major profit earner but still giving you good returns, well no and with apple recently unveiling a new mac pro and imac this even more does not seem to be the case.
With the new ARM processor apple would be able to take a step away from intel at present but it would also have to contend with the added workload of having to maintain two varieties of macOS while the macbooks with newly installed ARM processors might not even do well in sales. Basically the move to ARM processors does not make any real sense.
