Mac Return: How Apple Silicon Will Herald a New Era at WWDC 2021

Looking back, the explosive WWDC 2020 announcement that Apple is migrating the Mac from Intel processors to its own custom silicon was really just a teaser to whet the appetites of developers and consumers. In the fall, Apple released a trio of M1-based Macs, all sporting legacy models in what was a clear “just wait” communication effort.

We’ve been waiting, and now WWDC 2021 is official, taking place from June 7 to June 11. While there are rumors of a special Apple event before this date, in April it is likely that the company will introduce new iPads, AirPods, and possibly its rumored “AirTags”. There’s even an outside chance of a new Apple TV, but the new Mac hardware – and accompanying software enhancements – make a more logical fit for WWDC.

Not only will we likely have new Macs at WWDC, but there’s also a good chance Apple will start working its chipmaking muscles with high-end models aimed at true “pro” users – in particular. developers, who want to get their fingers coding on the next generations of macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

If the state-of-the-art M1 were a hit through the bow of Intel, AMD, and the legacy PC industry, the sequel could be a full frontal attack: a range of products ranging from your desktop on your wrist, all on a shared architecture that will make it easier than ever for developers to build apps, and harder than ever for consumers to ignore the Mac as a viable alternative to the vast but creaky PC landscape. .

It’s a platform game. Just as the iPod was a Trojan horse to get customers interested in the Mac ecosystem, the iPhone took it to the next level. Now, with all of your apps and data in sync across devices large and small, thanks to the same heart beating at the center of all of its devices, Apple will be able to truly take ownership of the user experience to a degree that no tech company can do. has never been able to achieve.

Apple has always been known for its world-class design paired with world-class hardware. But there was a catch: Apple’s design prowess was limited by its hardware partners.

There are some vendors that Apple will continue to rely on for various parts, like memory and wireless connectivity, but over the years the company has gained more control over the components of its devices, where the CEO Tim Cook and his team feel like Apple. can do it better internally.

The move to Apple Silicon is the biggest gaming change yet for the Mac. By swapping the brains of its computers, Apple no longer has to design based on the limitations of Intel’s old x86 architecture.

The issues with Intel’s chips were numerous, including heat dissipation and power consumption. These considerations all affect the design, leading to larger, bulkier machines that require larger batteries and the ability to operate at safe operating temperatures.

Of course, in designing its own chips, Apple didn’t magically defy the laws of physics. But by producing its own low-power, high-performance processors, the company now has more flexibility to push Mac design in new ways, into new form factors, with a whole new look, without sacrificing any power.

WWDC has always been a software-focused show, and it probably won’t be any different this year, with the next generation of macOS – called macOS 12 – officially unveiled.

But Apple Silicon and the new design possibilities it presents for the Mac mean that Apple will be able to push both its hardware and software in new directions, in tandem, in ways that it wasn’t. possible before. More than ever, WWDC 2021 will reveal the Mac and Apple ecosystem as a true union of hardware and software.

Apple’s high-end machines are expected to sport newer Apple Silicon models that are more rugged than the M1 chip that debuted last year on the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro. Whether called “M1X”, “M2” or whatever, these processors will need to offer greater capabilities to developers and other professional-level users, including extended support for external monitors, more port connectivity. and faster processing capabilities.

While faster chips are inevitable, and we already have a sense of what Apple is really capable of with the M1, there is still a glaring hole in the Apple Silicon strategy: the graphics.

Currently, Apple relies on AMD for discrete graphics processing on its most powerful machines, including the iMac, Mac Pro, and 15-inch MacBook Pro. Nothing prevents Apple from continuing to use AMD graphics technology for these machines in tandem with Apple Silicon. But will Apple want to continue to rely on an external partner for its GPUs?

With the M1 chip, we saw a preview of Apple’s System-on-a-Chip capabilities with integrated graphics. However, we still don’t know how (or if) the company plans to handle discrete graphics.

We may not get an answer on discrete graphics at WWDC 2021, or even 2021 at all. But at the very least, we’ll probably get a glimpse of what’s capable on a more powerful GPU SoC, be it the “M1X” or the “M2”.

Apple products complement each other not only from a user experience perspective, but also from a research and development perspective. Time and time again we have seen progress in certain platforms and devices for other products in the Apple line.

Touch ID was launched on the iPhone before spreading to the iPad and Mac. Apple Watch Force Touch (RIP) paved the way for 3D Touch on the iPhone (RIP) and Apple’s Mac trackpad (still alive!). And Apple’s custom silicon, dating from the first-generation iPad’s A4 processor, was part of a long-term strategy to migrate the Mac to its ARM processors.

While we almost certainly won’t be getting any new iPhone hardware at WWDC 2021, we’ll get our first look at iOS 15, as well as iPadOS 15. And with the iPhone, iPad, and Mac all running. same chip architecture, the boundaries between their respective software platforms will be even more blurred.

Apple has said on several occasions that it has no plans to converge these platforms, so don’t expect one operating system to rule them all. But it’s likely that feature parity will increase on Mac, iPhone, and iPad with this year’s software updates.

New designs. New form factors. New capabilities. New colors. Everything is on the table for the Mac, which is why this year’s WWDC is already full of excitement and potential.

Last year’s Mac M1s were sort of a stopgap, giving Apple more time before it could really show off the next generation of Mac hardware. And this material will be much more than just the Apple silicon that powers it.

Apple won’t reveal all of its cards at WWDC 2021. The Mac transition to Apple Silicon is a two-year process, and we’re only one year away.

But it’s fair to say that WWDC 2021 should give us a clearer picture of how Apple envisions the future of the Mac platform. Our first look at the next generation of personal computing kicks off on June 7.