The Mac has had a year that any PC manufacturer would envy. According to the International Data Corp, it began 2021 by doubling the amount of shipments compared to the same period last year. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, stated in April that Apple Silicon, the company’s new in-house processor line, now powers over half of all Macs sold. By the time you read this, a successor to the first chip, likely dubbed M1X or M2, will have been announced.
That’s a remarkable achievement. I would have thought you were crazy if you had told me that a year ago.
Macs are beloved by critics (including myself), but buyers are typically put off by their price. Prior to Apple Silicon, entry-level Macs had slow processors, while premium models struggled to justify exorbitant prices. Apple’s controversial MacBook Pro 15 with the Intel Core i9 chip brought this to a head. Despite a price tag of more than US $2,399, the machine was so hot and underperforming that Apple had to patch the firmware to fix the issue. Apple was ready to transition to its own silicon after missteps like this.
The new iMac, which starts at a reasonable $1,299, encapsulates what M1 means for Mac design. It’s a stunning upgrade over the previous iMac, being a third as thick but twice as powerful, and replacing the old monochrome chassis with a colorful slate. It has everything the majority of people require in a single package, and it is only the tip of the iceberg. By the end of 2022, the whole Mac range will be rebuilt for Apple Silicon.
Steve Jobs’s “whole widget” design concept, centered on the end user’s experience, was honed with the iPhone, and now it has come full circle, to the Mac.
This is a danger to the computer. Wintel PCs — those running the Windows operating system on Intel x86 processors — have dominated the PC industry since Intel’s defeat over IBM’s PowerPC architecture in the 1990s. Intel capitalized on this with a diverse CPU line that left buyers perplexed. “What’s the difference between Intel’s U-Series and H-Series?” is one of the few questions that will elicit a blank face.”
Purchasing a new M1-powered iMac (or any M1 Mac) is comparable to purchasing an iPhone. It’s a follow-up to Steve Jobs’ “whole widget” concept “Design philosophy that prioritizes the end user’s experience over specs. With the iPhone, the concept was developed, and now it has come full circle to the Mac.
Apple’s new “M” logo has piqued the interest of Mac fans “With faster chips that demolish Intel’s best, AMD flexes its muscles. This year, Apple is likely to offer a more powerful CPU along with its own graphics improvement. However, it is via cost, not performance, that Apple can truly pound the PC.
“I believe they will be able to cut their prices on M1 designs once M2 is out.” “Founder and chief analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy in Austin, Texas, Patrick Moorhead says. “Take a look at the new MacBook SE, for example, which is available for $699. This has the potential to sway markets.”
PC manufacturers should be terrified: an affordable MacBook would destroy current midrange laptops such as Acer’s Aspire, Dell’s Inspiron, and HP’s Pavilion.
However, the popularity of the Mac may reach a limit. Top-tier games haven’t taken to Apple Silicon, and the business is still having trouble reaching out to companies like Activision and Electronic Arts. Gamers will stick with Windows as long as it can play games that the Mac can’t.
The success of the Mac will unleash a flood of flattery in the form of imitation. Microsoft is developing its own processor, Intel has a new CEO and a long-term strategy to collaborate with other chip companies, and Nvidia will acquire Arm if regulatory hurdles are overcome.
This might result in a PC processor showdown that hasn’t happened in 30 years. “Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Qualcomm, and Arm have all been set on fire.” “Moorhead stated. “Everyone’s attention is drawn to the computer.”
