Apple Mac ARM Transition

Apple has successfully changed architectures before, and has been developing an ARM version of Mac OS for a while. I am sure that it doesn't have the same level of refinement, it is might not be that far off.

Based on decades of historical precedent. Apple has migrated from 68k to PowerPC to Intel to ARM. You can no longer run PowerPC applications on current MacOS, as Rosetta v1 was dropped five years after migrating to Intel. Likewise 68k emulation was dropped some time after transitioning to PowerPC. Rosetta v2 is another temporary solution until x86 support is completely gone a few years from now, unless they intend to continue offering the Game Porting Toolkit.

It’s true that Apple has done two moves to different chips with success, but both times it was to a more capable and probably powerful processor. When moving to PPC they allowed to run 68k apps/code without too much penalty. When moving to x86, there was Rosetta[0], that made the entire existing library /almost/ work seamlessly. moving to ARM... this might not necessarily be true. Sure, you have Catalina but iOS apps on macOS says nothing about all existing apps for macOS. I have

I have followed Apple architecture since the 128k Mac and the Lisa. They have studiously avoided breaking all apps at the same time. To wit, the 68k to Intel migration for many was recompiling with Xcode, and some code review per Apple guidelines. They actually went to great lengths to give you tools to ensure your migration went as smoothly as possible, where the OS interface was concerned. ARM: Lather, rinse, repeat, or not, if you are satisfied with emulated performance.

Apple will require CPU emulation to support legacy software releases (think Creative Suite, MS Office, ...); whether this can be done with reasonable performance on ARM is the first real question.After that, why not make a switch? We (developers) can support ARM just as easily as x86-64, x86-32, and PPC. There are some specific areas that will require rework (games!), but investments are already being made there to support iOS.

Wait until MacOS move to homemade ($$$) ARM cpu and everything you use except what is made by big publisher is broken, forcing you to buy a huge string of fresh arm software to replace depreciated x64 intel capable softwares.In every Apple technical decision, there is a financial motivation.

It sounds almost unbelievable, but it could happen. I mean, Apple, unlike every other computer company, has successfully transitioned processor architecture twice before (68k to PowerPC, PowerPC to Intel). They could pull the same tricks they pulled for PPC to have a smooth transition: x86 emulation on ARM, “Universal” (fat) binaries, and making it easy for developers to port their apps.

The windows ARM has intel simulation. In fact Apple has done simulation/emulation/recompilation/FAT-obj for the last few transition. It would be the same. The problem is even if it stay the same many do not change (like Adobe etc.) which drag it. Hence, might as well move on.

Such a bad analysis. Switching CPU architecture has been done before in the macos ecosystem. And it has been successful.

Apple might switch to ARM, but I think you're right on AMD