Apple took a bite of control back, announcing a new Mac operating system with its homemade chip.
The company unveiled the first lineup of computers powered by its in-house “Apple Silicon” chip, dubbed the M1, at its final event of 2020.
Three new computers appear similar to those sold for years, but inside holds the big change. Ending a 14-year reliance on Intel for its Macintosh lineup, Apple’s new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac Mini models all are powered by the M1, the first chip designed by Apple specifically for Mac computers. The new Macs also all will feature Big Sur, its latest operating system.
The computers unveiled at the “One More Thing” event—a nod to the late Steve Jobs’ beloved catchphrase—are available to order now and set to be at some Apple stores next week. The MacBook Air starts at $999, the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299 and the new Mac mini starts at $699.
“We promised that the first Mac with Apple Silicon will arrive by the end of this year—well, that day is here,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said Tuesday. “The M1 chip is by far the most powerful chip that we have ever created.
MacOS Big Sur is supported by:
The 2015 MacBook and newer.
The 2013 MacBook Air and newer.
The late 2013 MacBook Pro and later.
The 2014 Mac Mini and later.
The 2014iMac and later.
The 2017 iMac Pro and later.
The 2013 Mac Pro and later.
Apple said the M1 chip should improve performance and speed of Macs in addition to nearly doubling battery life, Apple said. The improvements include updates to Siri, weather notifications and better search.
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