The MacBook Pro and the all-new iMac will be the first to get Apple's ARM chip

The MacBook Pro and the all-new iMac will be the first to get Apple's ARM chip

It is almost confirmed that Apple will unveil new custom ARM processors at WWDC 2020 today. And we now also know which products these chips may be used in; Apple plans to redesign the 13-inch MacBook Pro later this year and the iMac 2020 in early 2021.

This is stated by Apple oracle and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in his latest note to investors, as reported by MacRumors: the MacBook Pro will feature a new non-Intel chip and the iMac will be completely redesigned and have a new form factor and will feature a new form factor.

"The form factor design of the new model will be similar to the existing Intel 13.3-inch MacBook Pro. Apple will discontinue production of the Intel 13.3-inch MacBook Pro after the ARM 13.3-inch MacBook Pro is announced," Kuo said. The ARM iMac will feature a completely new form factor design and a 24-inch display...Apple will announce a refreshed version of the existing Intel iMac in 3Q20 before launching the ARM iMac."

The ARM-based chip will be first unveiled in a redesigned iMac that will appear around September or October, earlier than 3Q20. The 13-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, will be revamped with ARM chips in late 2020 or Q1 2021. This is roughly in line with the timing of Apple's MacBook Pro refresh we have seen in the past.

We had hoped that the new 12-inch MacBook ARM would be unveiled at WWDC, but that does not appear to be the case. Rather, Apple is more likely to officially reveal how it is developing its own ARM-based chips and the roadmap for its Mac lineup.

It will take some time for Apple to fully transition from the Intel processors it uses in all its Mac machines. Also, ARM-based chips use a different architecture than Intel chips, which use the x86 architecture, so developers will have to rework their applications and software to run on the ARM RISC architecture. Therefore, rather than unveiling new Mac hardware at WWDC, Apple will likely announce a developer kit to make it easier for application makers to migrate their software to future ARM-based Macs.

According to other rumors, we were also expecting Apple's new AirPods Studio over-ear headphones. However, according to tech leaker Jon Prosser, Apple is not likely to reveal the hardware at WWDC.

Given that WWDC is a developer-centric event, it is not a big surprise that no hardware will be unveiled, and it will be the same as previous events. We expect to dig deeper into iOS 14 and how it will evolve the software experience on the iPhone, in addition to major new software updates for iPadOS, watchOS, etc., and give us some hints about the iPhone 12 features

If you're interested in learning more about iOS 14, please contact us.

If you want to hear what software updates Apple has in store, here's how to watch WWDC 2020. Also, don't forget to check back with Tom's Guide as we'll keep you updated on important WWDC news.

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