[Apple Shockwave](22) Why the Noise-Free PC Jobs Dreamed of Has Finally Arrived

Laptop PC Jobs introduced from an envelope
Finally evolved to a large screen
Apple blames Intel for delay in launching 15-inch MacBook Air
Apple Silicon effect boosts Mac computer sales growth

Editor's Note[Apple Shockwave] is a content series that explores the upheaval caused by Apple entering the semiconductor market. You might wonder why Apple is involved in semiconductors. Apple is no longer just a company that makes smartphones and computers. After long efforts starting from founder Steve Jobs, Apple has designed world-class semiconductors used in mobile devices. If Intel was the key player in the PC era, Apple has become the top predator in the mobile era semiconductor ecosystem. Amid the global semiconductor supply chain crisis and large-scale semiconductor production line investments, we will carefully examine the upheaval and prospects in the semiconductor market brought about by Apple Silicon to broaden our readers' insights. Apple Shockwave will visit readers every Saturday. After more than 40 installments, it will be published as a book.

"Apple could not make a 15-inch MacBook Air laptop PC because of Intel CPUs." (9to5Mac)

Apple has released a 15-inch MacBook Air laptop PC. While the mixed reality (MR) headset Vision Pro, unveiled at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last June, is a product of the future, the 15-inch MacBook Air is available for immediate purchase, drawing significant attention.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is holding up the 15-inch MacBook Air laptop at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference held last June.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The 15-inch MacBook Air caught consumers' attention because of its screen size. Since its debut in 2008, the MacBook Air has maintained a similar design and a 13-inch screen identity. Although it was once sold in an 11-inch version, only the 13-inch model survived. Many consumers wanted laptops with larger screens, but Apple insisted on only 13 inches for the MacBook Air.

Why was that? The reason has recently come to light. The answer was Intel CPUs and Apple Silicon.

Laura Metz, Apple’s MacBook marketing manager, recently revealed in a media interview that although there were plans to develop a 15-inch MacBook Air in the past, the Intel CPUs used at the time did not allow the product to be designed according to Apple's standards. Her testimony was as follows:

"With the product design at that time, it was impossible to make a 15-inch laptop that felt 'Air'-like."

Apple specialist media 9to5Mac interpreted this as a euphemistic statement that using Intel CPUs made it impossible to create the thin and light laptop PC symbolized by 'Air.' Apple began applying its self-developed Apple Silicon to PCs from the end of 2020.

Many PC manufacturers mainly sell 13-inch and 15-inch laptops. Those needing mobility prefer 13 inches, while those using laptops only at home or office prefer 15 inches.

Apple’s high-performance PC, the MacBook Pro, is also available in 14 and 16 inches. Only the MacBook Air stubbornly stuck to 13 inches. As Metz explained, there was a clear reason for this.

Apple’s 'diss' toward Intel does not stop there. Apple is promoting that the 15-inch MacBook Air operates 12 times faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air model.

The MacBook Air is famous for being first introduced by Apple founder Steve Jobs. Macintosh, iMac, and MacBook Air were computers Jobs personally unveiled for the first time.

Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, is holding up a manila envelope containing the MacBook Air PC in January 2008. This moment is also famous for changing the history of PCs.

Laptop PC from Jobs’ Document Envelope... Gained Wings with Apple Silicon

The MacBook Air was unveiled by Jobs in January 2008, one year after the first iPhone was introduced. Jobs surprised the audience by pulling the laptop PC out of a yellow document envelope.

Jobs emphasized it was the world’s thinnest and lightest laptop. The scene of the laptop emerging from the document envelope vividly demonstrated the laptop’s advantages. It is said that Jobs redefined the future of laptop PC design at that time.

At that time, Apple used Intel CPUs. Apple opened the 'Intel Mac' era in 2006 by switching from Motorola CPUs to Intel. The most remarkable achievement of switching from Motorola CPUs to Intel CPUs was the MacBook Air. If Motorola CPUs had been used, the MacBook Air would not have been possible. Apple manufactured the first MacBook Air using Intel’s low-power CPUs.

Jobs’ Contempt for Cooling Fans... Apple Silicon Fulfilled His Vision in 2020

Although the MacBook Air used low-power CPUs, it could not escape heat and noise issues. To achieve thinness and lightness, CPU performance was sacrificed, but the noise from the fan could not be eliminated. A change was needed for better improvement.

The M1 chip, introduced in November 2020, 12 years after the first MacBook Air, solved these problems at once. The MacBook Air using Apple-designed M1 eliminated the cooling fan needed to dissipate CPU heat. Despite this, performance dramatically improved and battery life extended. The only change was the CPU?from Intel to Apple Silicon?but it became a completely different laptop.

The 'Apple III' PC, which eliminated the cooling fan to reduce noise and prioritize design under Steve Jobs' direction. Photo by Wikipedia

Jobs hated cooling fans that cooled CPU heat. Cooling fans ruined computer design and made loud noises, which earned Jobs’ disdain. Jobs insisted on not installing cooling fans in the Apple III PC, which confused designers and engineers. The result of removing the cooling fan from the Apple III was disastrous.

The condition to realize Jobs’ hope of eliminating cooling fans was simple: a CPU with low heat generation. That hope was realized only in 2020 with the MacBook Air using the M1 chip. Apple accomplished what semiconductor pioneers Intel and Motorola could not.

4th Largest Global PC Shipments in Q2... Apple PCs Advance Despite Recession

With the ability to make fanless computers as Jobs wished, Apple’s dominance in the PC market is growing. This is especially notable amid the recent IT market downturn.

Market research firm IDC reported that global PC shipments from March to June totaled 61.6 million units, down 13.4% year-over-year. PC shipments have declined for six consecutive quarters. The economic downturn following US interest rate hikes has led most big tech companies and even Wall Street banks to reduce staff, negatively impacting PC sales.

Despite the overall PC market slump, one company stands out: Apple. Apple’s Q2 PC shipments increased 10.3% year-over-year to 5.3 million units. Compared to HP, which saw a 0.8% decrease, Apple’s growth gap is striking. Apple was the only company to increase both shipments and market share. Considering the 13.4% decline in total PC shipments in Q2, Apple’s unique growth is evident.

Apple’s share of total PC shipments in Q2 rose to 8.6% from 6.9% a year earlier. The possibility of Apple surpassing 10% of total PC shipments has grown significantly.

Apple’s strong sales have also changed the PC industry rankings. Apple overtook Taiwan’s Acer to rank 4th.

One point to consider in Apple’s PC sales is the average unit price. Although Apple PCs’ cost-effectiveness has greatly improved compared to before, the lack of low-priced models means their selling price is higher than competitors. Yet, revenue is increasing.

IT media Gizmodo diagnosed that the expansion of Apple computer sales is due to growing demand for PCs using Apple Silicon. Gizmodo forecasts that if the next-generation M3 chip follows M1 and M2, demand for Apple PCs could increase further.