>Intel’s real money is in high-end CPUs sold to prosperous Cloud operators, not in supplying lower-end chips to cost-cutting laptop makers.
And to make another point. Apple isn't a lower-end cost cutting laptop makers.
Apple sell ~20M Mac per year. Intel ship roughly ~220M PC CPU per year ( I think recent years saw the number trending back towards 250M) That is close to 10%. Not an insignificant number. Apple only use expensive Intel CPU. Lots of survey shows most $1000+ PC belongs to Apple. Most of the business Desktop, and Laptop uses comparatively cheap Intel CPU. i.e I would not be surprised the median price of Apple's Intel CPU purchase is at least 2x to total market median if not more. In terms of revenue that is 20% of Intel's consumer segment.
They used to charge a premium for being the leading edge Fab. You cant get silicon that is better than Intel. You are basically paying those premiums for having the best. Then Intel's Fab went from 2 years leading, to now 2 years behind, ( That is 4 years difference. ) all while charging the same price. And since Intel wants to keep its margin, it is not much of a surprise customers, ( Apple and Amazon ) looks for alternative.
Yea, last I looked at it, Apples average Mac sakes price was $1300, HP/Dell/et al were under $500.
Apple owns the premium PC market, it’s Mac division is not only the most profitable PC company in the world, it might be more profitable than all the others combined.
It’s share of Intels most expensive desktop CPUs is much higher than its raw market share.
And to make another point. Apple isn't a lower-end cost cutting laptop makers.
Apple sell ~20M Mac per year. Intel ship roughly ~220M PC CPU per year ( I think recent years saw the number trending back towards 250M) That is close to 10%. Not an insignificant number. Apple only use expensive Intel CPU. Lots of survey shows most $1000+ PC belongs to Apple. Most of the business Desktop, and Laptop uses comparatively cheap Intel CPU. i.e I would not be surprised the median price of Apple's Intel CPU purchase is at least 2x to total market median if not more. In terms of revenue that is 20% of Intel's consumer segment.
They used to charge a premium for being the leading edge Fab. You cant get silicon that is better than Intel. You are basically paying those premiums for having the best. Then Intel's Fab went from 2 years leading, to now 2 years behind, ( That is 4 years difference. ) all while charging the same price. And since Intel wants to keep its margin, it is not much of a surprise customers, ( Apple and Amazon ) looks for alternative.
Here is another piece on Amazon Graviton 2.
https://threader.app/thread/1274020102573158402
May be I should submit it to HN.