Intel Anticipating Apple Mac Shift to Custom ARM-Based Chips as Soon as in 2020

A much-rumored plan for Apple to ditch Intel processors in favor of their own custom ARM-based chips could happen as soon as 2020. Axios today confirmed that possibility in a report saying both Intel and Mac developers expecting the move next year.

What we’re hearing: Although the company has yet to say so publicly, developers and Intel officials have privately told Axios they expect such a move as soon as next year.

Bloomberg offered a bit more specificity on things in a report on Wednesday, saying that the first ARM-based Macs could come in 2020, with plans to offer developers a way to write a single app that can run across iPhones, iPads and Macs by 2021.

The first hints of the effort came last year when Apple offered a sneak peek at its plan to make it easier for developers to bring iPad apps to the Mac.

Apple’s transition to a single app codebase on all devices has already started, as the Cupertino firm ported several of its iOS app, including Stocks, News, and Voice Memos over to macOS. Apple is planning to allow third-party developers transition their iPad apps to macOS this year, and will include iPhone apps in the transition in 2020. That will allow devs to code one app that will work across all Apple platforms.

If Apple does shift the Mac platform from Intel processors to their own ARM processors, it won’t be the first time the company has made such a move. Over the years the company have transitioned the platform from Motorola to Power PC to Intel processors.