Apple challenges Intel in chip manufacturing?

A few days ago, Apple updated their MacBook Pro 15-inch notebook. Although we all think that Apple will upgrade hardware, it still uses the Intel Haswell architecture CPU instead of the Broadwell architecture. One possible reason people might think of it is that Intel may postpone the update of its CPU product line, so quad-core Broadwell is not yet ready, so Apple has to use Haswell. This incident caused extensive discussion on Twitter. There is a technology review saying that since Intel is so arrogant, then Apple should consider using its own Ax chip in the new MacBook. After all, the Ax series has developed over the past several years. Already very good. It sounds good, but in reality it is very flawed.

The performance of the A8x in the iPad Air 2 is just as strong as the Intel processor in the MacBook Air in 2011, which gives us hope that it seems that the Ax series processors will soon be able to compete with Intel's processors. But the facts will not be so simple, Apple also understands this.

We can explain it from the following aspects:

1. If Apple decides to put the Ax series processor into the MacBook, then Apple is taking its entire platform adventure. The current Ax series are based on the ARM architecture, and in order to manufacture x86-based processors, Apple must redesign the Ax series, which will consume a lot of time. And the most critical thing is that Intel has a lot of relevant patents in its hands, and Apple simply can't compete.

2. If Apple uses processors based on the ARM architecture, it will encounter another problem: all applications are incompatible and need to be recompiled. Of course, we can also bypass this issue in other ways, but this requires the performance of the Ax series processors to be at least 1.5-2 times that of Intel processors, but this is unlikely to happen for the foreseeable time.

3. Apple cannot change Intel. It is also said that Intel does not want to lose Apple because Apple is the most valuable company in the world. But in fact, this is only Apple fans' self-consolation. Intel’s largest source of income is PCs and not Macs, and if Apple decides to start competing with Intel, Intel will reconsider their design strategy and move forward. Keep in mind that Intel’s goals are no longer the constant improvement of performance. They are now working on improving efficiency, and all the discussion about Ax chip performance over Intel’s processing comes from Intel’s change.

Finally, if Apple acquired AMD, it decided to compete with Intel. Now, because of financial constraints, AMD does not have the strength to compete directly with Intel. Finance is not a problem for Apple at all. AMD also has technology that can compete with Intel. They also have their own fan base. But it is worth noting that AMD's technology is partly derived from Intel's authorization. If anyone wants to use these technologies against Intel himself, Intel obviously cannot agree. So Apple is also unlikely to buy AMD.

Intel's position in related industries is no one company can shake. Naturally, Apple understands this, and they do not bother to challenge them. In order to solve the supply problem, Apple may also have to buy Intel's processors at a higher cost, but Apple now earns so much. This cost is completely acceptable to Apple. Apple will not bring any harm to Intel. After all, it is not wise to challenge tigers in the jungle.