The End of x86?
As I wrote in a similar thread I think Intel and x86 is already dead - the writing is on the wall -  Intel just doesn't know it yet. Below is how I believe a key customer has already planned to leave the x86 architecture as nothing but a footnote in their history (alongside the remnants of PowerPC).---Currently Apple relies on Intel for a major component in a key product. Strategically, Apple doesn't like to have to rely on a single source or supplier for key products. Apple will do whatever is possible to remove this reliance.Hence a prediction: within less than 5 years a Mac will be running on an Apple designed ARM processor.How? By slowly, step by step, providing a way towards this.Step 1. Migrate your OS to the new architecture (e.g. iOS already, OS X not far behind) - doneStep 2. Migrate your developer base onto developer tools which you control and can easily change the architecture it targets (e.g. Xcode and LLVM) - doneStep 3. Provide a space where problematic applications which use other VMs or rely directly on getting too close to the hardware are not welcome (e.g. a Mac App Store) - announcedStep 4. Change the marketplace behaviour so that you control how the majority of applications are distributed and can quickly provide updates without user intervention. Such as an App store.Step 5. Release a new Macbook with an ARM processor, absolutely killing on form factor, price and battery performance that Intel cannot compete with. Encourage your Mac App Store developers to flick a switch in Xcode, to recompile and upload their new Universal (x86 & ARM) versions of their Apps to the Mac App Store.Result: you now control the processor direction and application distribution mechanism for a key product and no longer rely upon the whims of Intel.Apple is all about controlling an integrated experience for their customers. Currently Intel is getting in the way of this for the Mac product.