Amid All the Hype Around the New iPhones Every Year, Did We Miss Apple’s Biggest Shift in Recent Years?

"Ditching Intel and rolling out Apple Silicon"

This shift, which began in 2020, marked Apple’s strategic break-up from its 15-year partnership with Intel, the powerhouse & the market leader by miles.

But why?

1. Intel’s Performance Stagnation
Intel was running bit late to the innovation party, causing production delays and thermal issues.
Apple had to cut ties before things got too heated (literally).

2. Need for Greater Control
Apple’s strategy thrives on tight hardware-software integration, something Intel's limitations couldn’t support.
It's like having a roommate who keeps the keys to your apartment. Apple wanted to own everything - from the keychain to the locks.

3. Success of In-House Designs
With iPhones and iPads already running on custom A-series chips, it was time for the Macs to join the family.

Apple’s new vertical integration strategy means it could move faster, innovate more, and keep more $$$ in-house.

I personally don't think Intel’s lagged innovation. The breakup would have happened anyways given Apple's past success with phone chips and their strategy of everything in-house.

But while Apple was walking away, NVIDIA was rising as a formidable rival.
NVIDIA’s GPUs became the go-to for AI and machine learning, taking over markets where Intel once reigned supreme.

Yeah, a double whammy for sure. :(