Apple is rolling out its first Mac computers powered by the same kind of chips that run iPhones and iPads in a move aimed at making it even easier for its most popular products to work together.
The new line-up of Macs unveiled late Tuesday are debuting five months after Apple announced it will be phasing out its 15-year reliance on Intel chips and use its own processors instead.
The replacement processor implanted in the new Macs uses the same design already in Apple’s iPhone and iPads.
By sharing the same digital brain, the different devices are supposed to sync up even more seamlessly than they already have.
The switch to the chips promises faster processing speeds, sleeker designs and longer running times on a single battery charge.
But the transition to the new in-house chips is also likely to create potential stumbling blocks for Apple and other software makers as they try to ensure programs continue to smoothly run on Macs with Intel chips, as well as the new generation just now rolling out.
Initially, Apple will only be putting its chips in smaller computers – the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the Mac Mini for desktops.
The company expects it will take at least another two years before all its Macs are running on the its own chips instead of Intel’s.
All three new computers are supposed to be available in stores next week, with prices starting at $699 for the Mac Mini to $1,200 for the 13-inch MacBook Pro.