Ming-Chi Kuo: the ARM ARM MacBook Is Imminent

Earlier, earlier this month, Kuo said that ARM-based laptops could debut as early as the fourth quarter of this year. However, at that time, the details were quite vague. For now, Kuo says we'll see ARM-based computers as early as 2021, starting with desktop products. He also said that the ARM chip gives Apple's Mac line a competitive advantage because it helps reduce the dependence on Intel for upgrading the processor, but also reduces the price of the processor by 40-60%. Kuo says that using ARM chips will lead to significant hardware differences between a Mac and a PC.

ARM processors use a completely different instruction set than x86 processors on Apple's current desktop and laptop product lines. The company is working on improving the ability to support two sets of instructions with projects such as Catalyst, allowing developers to port iOS apps to macOS. If the rumors are true, then we will see more Catalyst related stuff at WWDC hosted online in the near future.

Interestingly, Kuo revealed that ASMedia Technology, a Taiwanese company, will become the exclusive supplier of USB controllers for Apple's ARM Macs. Kuo also forecasts that the Mac will support USB4 by 2022.

What is USB4? It's the upcoming USB standard, promising a maximum speed of 40Gbps. It also includes Thunderbolt 3, so you can support multiple devices through a single cable.

Although the above information is only predictive, considering Kuo's reputation, they are quite reliable. Previously, this analyst had correctly predicted that Apple will launch the new MacBook Air in the second quarter of 2020 and the keyboard scissor will return. As a result, last week, Apple launched a new MacBook Air model with a scissor keyboard!