Why would Apple use AMD APUs when their AX chips in their iOS devices are probably far better, especially moving forward, than whatever AMD can possibly be cooking up?
AX chips? Why? Over half of the iMac line up is on SoC right now..... with Intel. It is only the 27" models that have dGPUs at this point.
That article is goofy quoting on how Apple has switched over to AMD for GPUs. The majority of the Mac line up is on Intel now; not AMD ( or Nvidia).
Now if a Zen APU is performance and cost competitive with an Core i5/i7 model might Apple switch. Yep. Is that likely to happen in the Mac Pro space? No. Is that likely to happen in the near term future on other Mac products? No.
Unless AMD has radically changed direction again ....
"... Desktop users will be happy to know that the first Zen processor out the door will be AMD’s high-end desktop CPU (AMD was very deliberate in this, it’s not an APU). AMD will be aiming high and then cascading Zen down into APUs and lower-end products. ..."
http://www.anandtech.com/show/9231/amds-20162017-x86-roadmap-zen-is-in
Makes a lot of sense. Get the less complex GPU-less CPU out the door first and start making more money. AMD moves to a larger more complicated CPU+GPU design later. Systems with a CPU that needs a discrete GPU won't necessarily hurt AMD ( they'll get a fraction of dGPU sales ). Reducing limited Intel iGPU sales ( HD 4600 and equivalent ) would be a step forward for AMD.
The only maximum highly SoC in an iMac is the "educational" model with a MBA SoC in it. Highly unlikely there is a win in that iMac without there also being a win in the MBA. Apple is saving money on buying in larger volume. The iMac line up is too broad and diverse for a "console gamer box" APU to have any traction.
It is reasonably likely that AMD and Apple are working on a prototype. Minimally it would put Intel on notice.
If AMD gets more competitive with Intel's offerings with Zen then the move of OS X to AX makes even less sense. If there are two healthy suppliers why give that up? Some hand wavy "more control for more control sake" is just that hand waving. If Apple can get more bang for the buck from Intel/AMD they will stick with it. If that dual source falters then it is would be time for a move. But as long as it is working it doesn't buy much if anything to take on Intel as a full time competitor in the classic PC CPU space. ( doing that hasn't done wonders long term for AMD and Apple isn't particularly in better shape to do so. )
P.S. just for some substantive Mac Pro content ..... There is little to indicate that Zen is going to be very competitive with the Xeon E5 product line. So Opteron probably isn't going to get alot more traction very fast. They may get incrementally more competitive but over the next 1-2 years, it is doubtful that will make a difference in a Mac Pro CPU design bake-off.
