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PALO ALTO, USA – Apple on Tuesday introduced a new MacBook line powered by the company’s first in-house designed chip for the Mac, the M1, a major change from the American tech giant as it replaces used Intel CPUs. on older models.
In a live broadcast from its Cupertino, California, headquarters, company executives introduced the M1, designed by Apple and based on Arm Holdings technology, and three new Mac computers powered by Apple’s first silicon: a new laptop. MacBook Air, a new 13- inch MacBook Pro laptop and Mac mini desktop computer.
The company said the M1 will be the first personal computer chip built with five-nanometer process technology, which is considered the most advanced chip-making technology in the world. Like its latest iPhone processor chips, the M1 will be produced by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Nikkei Asia previously reported.
The internally designed processor will give Macs industry-leading performance per watt, Apple said, meaning the new computers will have much longer battery life and higher-performance graphics processing units.
The new Mac mini desktop starts at $ 699, while the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro start at $ 999 and $ 1,299, respectively. All three models are available to order and will begin shipping next week.
Apple made the announcement about switching from Intel processors to Apple silicon for its Mac lines at its Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this year.
“The transition to Apple’s silicon will take about two years to complete, and these three systems are an amazing first step,” Apple said Tuesday.
Nikkei Asia exclusively reported last week that Apple is aiming to make 2.5 million units of MacBooks powered by Apple’s silicon technology by early next year.
The company is scheduled to introduce other MacBook models using its own CPUs in the second quarter of next year, further replacing Intel’s microprocessors, sources told Nikkei Asia.
Apple’s decision to introduce its own Arm-based processor chips for the MacBook will be a blow to Intel, whose X-86 technology has dominated the PC industry for decades.
Apple ranked fourth in PC sales last year, behind Lenovo Group, HP and Dell. Apple shipped 17.68 million personal computers in 2019, representing 6.6% of the global market share, according to IDC data.
Intel shares fell 2.5% during midday trading Tuesday after Apple’s announcement.
Apple has seen an increase in demand for its computing products this year, and Mac revenue increased 11% year-over-year in the last 12 months ending in September.
“Apple continues to see high demand for its iPad and Mac as more consumers expect to see the trend of working from home continue for the foreseeable future, adding more importance to today’s virtual event for investors,” Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, said in a note to clients on Tuesday.
“The announcement of the M1 chip indicates that Apple is taking more control of its hardware ecosystem,” he added.
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