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It seems Apple may unseat Intel in processor chips with its new M1 chip by TSMC/ARM released today with very impressive specs. Apple has the muscle to build the ecosystem from top to bottom to make this happen. If this is successful, does anyone have insights on what this will do to Intel over the short and long run?
We had been expecting Apple to replace Intel CPUs with their own A-series processors for several years now. Little impact to Intel short term, look at how small the Apple Mac shipments are compared to: Lenovo, HP, Dell https://www.macrumors.com/2020/07/09/apple-mac-shipments-up-q2-2020/
Roughly estimate this M1 chip might consume less than 10k wafer per month 5nm capacity in tsmc in MacBook. It will be very interesting to see if Apple will sale M1 to other PC or NB producers in the future.
With the Pfizer vaccine it was a Turkish couple that live in germany and was developed 3rd party. It really wasn't Pfizer at all. I think the m1 may be a third party venture as well if so an complementary product will be available.
Roughly estimate this M1 chip might consume less than 10k wafer per month 5nm capacity in tsmc in MacBook. It will be very interesting to see if Apple will sale M1 to other PC or NB producers in the future.
Apply has never sold their Application Processors, or any ASIC they designed in the commercial market. Apple chips only go into Apple products, much like the custom Tesla chip only goes into a Tesla car.
Apply has never sold their Application Processors, or any ASIC they designed in the commercial market. Apple chips only go into Apple products, much like the custom Tesla chip only goes into a Tesla car.
This is true, but if Apple is successful here expect others to follow.
My view on Intel, which I've expressed on this forum many times, is fairly pessimistic. They find themselves in the classic "Innovators Dilemma". It's not just Apple, it's also AMD leapfrogging them, it's systems companies designing their own server chips, it's the fabless/systems model vs the IDM model. The business around them has changed and they have been reluctant to change with it. Instead they cling to their historic success in using Tick Tock to dominate the IDM landscape and the monopoly power that gave them. I think Intel may have a future as a fabless company if they fully embrace the fabless model and it seems they are making steps in this direction, but it might be too late.
There were several ASICs designed by Apple in all clones (I would say northbridge, southbridge and other controllers). The attached picture is from a Power Computing Power 100 for example.