New Apple computers to use ARM processors?

[Phil]

Many visual creatives seem to favor Apple laptops and iMacs.  Apple's hardware have used Intel processors for quite a while to run Adobe's and other software.

 

That may all be about to change with strong rumors of Apple dumping Intel in favor of ARM processors:

 

https://www.macrumors.com/guide/arm-macs/

 

This begs the question of how Adobe's imaging software (Lightroom, Photoshop, their video s/w, etc) will deal with such a change going forward.  With a large installed user base of Apple hardware using Intel processors and running Adobe's s/w and a new generation of Apple ARM systems coming perhaps very soon it will be interesting to see how Adobe in particular reacts.

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by Phil

[NYCat]

I am wondering what this might mean in practical terms for me. I was planning to buy a new MacBookPro last year and then the money had to go to a dental implant (which is still not implanted due to coronavirus shutdowns) and so I was going to get it this year with people seeming to love the newest one. Of course the plan has been delayed again because my cat-sitting income disappeared with no one traveling. Things will pick up again in about a month so maybe I will buy it this year. But..... now something new making me wonder if I should wait for the new shiny thing.

 

Paulette

[Phil]

If Apple's new systems use ARM processors instead of Intel that will preclude use of all MacOS software based on Intel processors on the new ARM hardware. 

 

Adobe and other MacOS s/w producers will need to produce new versions of their software that will run on the ARM processor based systems.  How long will MacOS s/w producers support their old Intel based s/w?  How long will Apple support their old Intel based hardware?  Will future versions of MacOS s/w be made available for both the old Intel and new ARM processor systems?

 

I've a soon to be delivered new Dell Windows 10 desktop system ordered to replace my old 2011 iMac  and none too soon it seems.

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by Phil

[MDM]

Nothing to worry about for several years. Apple has a history of supporting older hardware for many years after a change. it is often more of an issue getting the developers to support the new hardware than the opposite. I remember when the PowerPC processors arrived in 1994 and it was a long time before any big developers actually produced software to take advantage of the new supposedly superfast processors. The first major program that was native was Microsoft Excel if I recall correctly. They kept supporting PowerPC for several years after they went to Intel. 

 

In any case, for many graphics programs nowadays, it is probably equally important to get a powerful graphics card (GPU). For Macs that means one that will fully support Apple's Metal than to get too worried about the CPU speed. 

[Mr Standfast]

Processor supplier shouldn't make any difference.

[NYCat]

1 hour ago, MDM said:

Nothing to worry about for several years. Apple has a history of supporting older hardware for many years after a change. it is often more of an issue getting the developers to support the new hardware than the opposite. I remember when the PowerPC processors arrived in 1994 and it was a long time before any big developers actually produced software to take advantage of the new supposedly superfast processors. The first major program that was native was Microsoft Excel if I recall correctly. They kept supporting PowerPC for several years after they went to Intel. 

 

In any case, for many graphics programs nowadays, it is probably equally important to get a powerful graphics card (GPU). For Macs that means one that will fully support Apple's Metal than to get too worried about the CPU speed. 

 

Thank you, Michael. The laptop I am replacing is more than 10 years old so you can see I only move forward very slowly. I know one of the reasons I have delayed is I will have to set up the new one, get the Adobe subscription (yikes) and learn new things. All this time locked down should have been a good time to do all that but my brain has not been very good at focusing. We are now in the first step of reopening NYC so I may come to life as the city does. So far it doesn't seem that thousands of protestors marching and shouting for hours has hurt us. I don't know how that can be possible but we are OK so far. Please don't anyone take that as a political statement. Just the facts, ma'am.

 

Paulette

[Phil]

1 hour ago, Mr Standfast said:

Processor supplier shouldn't make any difference.

 

There is at least one fundamental difference. 

 

The processors each are designed and built around different instruction sets.  Intel is CISC Complex Instruction Set whereas ARM is RISC Reduced Instruction Set Computing.

 

https://www.maketecheasier.com/differences-between-arm-and-intel/

 

I seriously doubt that software written/compiled for either will run on both.

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by Phil

[Mr Standfast]

30 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

There is at least one fundamental difference. 

 

The processors each are designed and built around different instruction sets.  Intel is CISC Complex Instruction Set whereas ARM is RISC Reduced Instruction Set Computing.

 

https://www.maketecheasier.com/differences-between-arm-and-intel/

 

I seriously doubt that software written/compiled for either will run on both.

 

 

 

Quite right.

[MDM]

2 hours ago, NYCat said:

 

Thank you, Michael. The laptop I am replacing is more than 10 years old so you can see I only move forward very slowly. I know one of the reasons I have delayed is I will have to set up the new one, get the Adobe subscription (yikes) and learn new things. All this time locked down should have been a good time to do all that but my brain has not been very good at focusing.

Paulette

I wouldn’t worry about setting up a new computer as it will come already set up and you will have 90 days support from Apple if you run into any problems which you shouldn’t do anyway. Macs tend to work straight out of the box with minimal messing about - unlike PCs. That is a major advantage of having the hardware and the OS designed to work together. The biggest issue can be getting older hardware such as printers to work but even that is easy on Macs.
 

The Adobe subscription software works just as easily and there is nothing to fear but much to look forward to. You will find Lightroom is way faster and has loads of new features. There are some changes but It is.not a steep learning curve really. When you buy a new Mac, definitely keep the graphics card in mind if you want future proofing. 
 

I don’t believe the sky is falling on our heads if there is any truth to the rumours about an upcoming change of processor. This has happened before a few times and  the software developers will have it all in hand. Apple and Adobe didn’t get into their present positions by stupidity and they certainly will not be throwing away their huge market shares by dumping existing users however they manage a major transition. 

[NYCat]

17 minutes ago, MDM said:

I wouldn’t worry about setting up a new computer as it will come already set up and you will have 90 days support from Apple if you run into any problems which you shouldn’t do anyway. Macs tend to work straight out of the box with minimal messing about - unlike PCs. That is a major advantage of having the hardware and the OS designed to work together. The biggest issue can be getting older hardware such as printers to work but even that is easy on Macs.
 

The Adobe subscription software works just as easily and there is nothing to fear but much to look forward to. You will find Lightroom is way faster and has loads of new features. There are some changes but It is.not a steep learning curve really. When you buy a new Mac, definitely keep the graphics card in mind if you want future proofing. 
 

I don’t believe the sky is falling on our heads if there is any truth to the rumours about an upcoming change of processor. This has happened before a few times and  the software developers will have it all in hand. Apple and Adobe didn’t get into their present positions by stupidity and they certainly will not be throwing away their huge market shares by dumping existing users however they manage a major transition. 

 

Thank you for reminding me of the help I will get from Apple. I always get the AppleCare and I think they train the phone help to be very, very soothing. I have always felt well taken care of. I am also within walking distance of two Apple stores.

 

Paulette

[M.Chapman]

Lots of Apple announcements here https://www.apple.com/apple-events/june-2020/

 

Scub to the last section for info on the new Mac processors and demos of LR and PS already running on them. Backwards compatibility is also claimed to be very good. I imagine there will be some issues, but the signs are good. You’ll also be able to run iPad OS apps on a Mac. This processor change could bring significant performance benefits.

 

Mark

Edited June 23, 2020 by M.Chapman

[Johnnie5]

This guy talks a bit about the transition to ARM processors.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0gwmrKIIow

 

[Phil]

Apple's recent WWDC 2020 announcements including their new proprietary made-in-house ARM processors is likely to further enhance Apple's strategic efforts to tighten their integrated and closed hardware/software ecosystem being built inside the increasingly higher walled Apple garden.    

 

There will likely be some eventual benefits for customers and developers who choose to stay within the confines of Apple's walled-garden.  But in an increasingly interconnected world there is a downside for both those who stay in the garden and those outside. 

 

A developers perspective:

https://tinyurl.com/y8jz898q

Edited June 25, 2020 by Phil