Apple to Release 2014 A8-Powered MacBook Air with Retina: What to Expect
Apple achieved a great milestone with its A7 processor. The chipset found its way to the iPhone 5s and the iPad Air earning positive response. The A7 processor became a standard as it posted excellent benchmark results. Apple managed to product a chipset that no other company has produced. Because of the recognition and performance results, companies like Qualcomm, Samsung, Intel and NVIDIA are all working on catching up. Nonetheless, the tech giant wants to go further. Moving beyond the "64 bit architecture," it appears Apple will be releasing the A8 soon.
Apple's A7 chipset gained more attention following the release of the iPad Air. People under Apple described the chipset with "64-bit desktop-class architecture" offering the technical details. This is unusual for Apple executives as the company has not divulged much about its processors over the years. The A7 features more than 1 billion transistors. It was able to catch up considerably with Intel's latest Ivy Bridge architecture - the framework in which Intel's Core i-series of processors are based.
The A7 is winning package and just a little larger compared to the A6 architecture.
According to a report by the Mac Daily News, Apple's claim on the capabilities of the A7 is not just about promoting the Air. Apple was just scratching the surface of what its future Mac lineup will be like. On another note, analysts also emphasize that it could be Apple's way of slowing hinting Intel's removal from its future lineup.
Likewise, experts also believe that the upcoming MacBook Air will be the most logical choice to unveil the ARM-based processor. There are reports discussing about the 12-inch iPad running on the A8. However, the size of the tablet may not still be realistic according to analysts. Experts think that the 9.8-inch display is already "large enough."
It does not seem logical for Apple to create a 12-inch iPad when the MacBook Air is 11 inches. Also, the A8 on the MacBook Air will create an impressive Mac. The laptop is light and thin. It will have a whole new appeal when packed with the power of the A8 processor. Analysts also backed the idea that Apple will be in a good position in producing such a device. The iOS and ARM processors provide an insight on the short-term and long-term future of the company.
The upcoming Mac A8 architecture will provide iOS developers an excellent and convenient way to extend the reach of its apps market. Apple will be off with operational costs and similar issues compared to Intel's x86 processors.