*** The Official WWDC 2020 thread - Keynote 22nd June at 18:00 BST ***

[HACO]

Unless there is some law against it, I can't see why VMware and Parallels won't make ARM versions of their software. Especially if Boot Camp is out of the window, their software sales will increase as it'll be the only way to run Windows programs.

Another thing I was wondering about - how will this move affect computer configurations? Will there be options like 4-core, 6-core, 8-core A12Z processors and things or will it just be one-size-fits-all A12Z processor?

Virtualisation works seamlessly because of modern techniques of passing down instructions immediately to the processor, i.e. no software binary translation. This isn't available on the ARM mac platform right now, it might become available in the future though as core x86_64 patents expire this year.

Apple said there will be mac specific processors, and I'd expect them to have multiple ones (likely 2 or 3 main SKUs, but more with some cores/cache disabled) for their Macbook lineup. For the desktop lineup I expect even more cores.

e.g.

iPad Pro processor for Macbook Airs
8 big, 4 small cores for Macbook Pro (lower end) with integrated Apple GPUs
12 big, 4 small cores for Macbook Pro (higher end) with dedicated AMD GPUs
32 cores for iMac with dedicated AMD GPUs
64-128 cores for Mac Pro with multiple dedicated AMD GPUs

MacBooks will be upgraded every year alongside iPhones and iPads, but the desktop processors might only be upgraded every 2 years.

 

[ic1male]

Virtualisation works seamlessly because of modern techniques of passing down instructions immediately to the processor, i.e. no software binary translation.

I'd forgotten about that. I remember using the old PowerPC Pear emulator to try out Mac OS X on a PC donkeys years ago. That was horrendously slow.

 

[Armageus]

All x86->ARM discussion to be directed to the other thread please: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/apple-to-replace-intel-and-move-to-arm-confirmed.18889813/

Discussion relating to other announcements can continue here

 

[JGBR]

It was a historic day, the end of the SJ era, the ios-fication of Mac - as long predicated - and the Mac will be dead as it once was, reborn, who knows...

 

[ChrisD.]

Do we have a Big Sur thread? I have it running in a VM. Got a few issues but overall I like the new look. I wasn't sure about it from the screenshots I've seen but it does look much more modern.

 

[Feek]

Do we have a Big Sur thread?

We do now

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/the-official-macos-big-sur-thread.18891955/