When we buy gadgets, we look at the numbersMHz, megapixels.
With cars, its cubic inches, brake horsepower, and cup holders.
With speakers its watts, with bikes its pounds and ounces, and so on.
Apple
But with its M1 chip, Apple has exploded this custom.
What does this mean for buyers?
Marketing
“Feeds and speeds” are a valuable marketing tool.
Apple
You know how it works.
Then you notice that its only $50 more for the next model up.
Maybe the laptop has a faster CPU, or the kids bike has fancier brakes.
Apple
Alternatively, you see the morass of options and close your online window tabs.
Apple still offers a choice inside each product range, but its a lot easier to know the differences.
And now, with Macs and iPad Pros, the choice isnt which chip to choose.
Its which shape to choose.
Thats the entire consumer-level line of Macs, plus the top-end iPad.
This turns the selection process on its head.
Do you want the smallest, lightest laptop?
A miniature desktop for your existing display and peripherals?
A beautiful, slim all-in-one for the reception desk in your dentist’s office?
Or a touch-screen tablet computer with a stylus?
All of them are equally capable.
This makes it much easier to buy an Apple computer.
You just grab whichever one you like the look of.
This simplicity also benefits Apple.
Every year, it only has to design one SoC.
Apple uses the same strategy with the iPhone and iPad.
The iPhone would run on, say, the A12, while the iPad Pro would use the A12X.
In this hypothetical grid, the desktop/portable distinction is gone.
You just get a choice between consumer (M1) and Pro (M1X).
This model may disappear once Apple has converted its entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon.
For buyers, this is excellent news.
