Nuked Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued predictions for the first Macs that will use the new Apple-designed processors. His research note was reported on by MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and AppleInsider.
Kuo says the last new Intel-based Mac ever will be a brand new iMac design with thinner bezels and a 24-inch display. This iMac is said to be planned for a release in Q3 2020, but an arm version will follow it in the first quarter of next year.
The first arm Mac is likely to be a 13-inch MacBook Pro in Q4 2020 or Q1 2021. The form factor is believed to be similar to the current model. Production of the Intel version will reportedly cease once the arm model is introduced.
Apple’s transition to a fully ARM-based lineup will take 12 to 18 months. Analyst expects the new arm machines to outperform their Intel predecessors by 50 to 100 percent. The actual performance will of course depend on what Apple decides to prioritize with the new designs.
Apple chose the MacBook Pro and the iMac as its first ARM-based Macs. At WWDC 2005, Apple announced that it would move from PowerPC processors to Intel for performance reasons. In January 2006 the company released its first Intel-based Macs: an iMac with a core duo inside the old G5 chassis, and the all-new MacBook Pro that replaced the PowerBook G4.
