Apple M1 Pro and Max Throw Down the Gauntlet in Chips

The most important thing in tech today is …

Apple’s unveil of the M1 Pro and M1 Max, a key to fulfilling Steve Jobs’s vision of a vertically integrated computer whose performance pulls away from the competition.

While these chips themselves don’t represent a large financial opportunity for Apple — the machines they power start at $2,000, which is a nosebleed price for mainstream consumers — they do illustrate that the company is capable of designing and delivering industry-leading computers without the help of chip suppliers who have become synonymous with the space.

For Intel, Nvidia and AMD, the M1 Pro and Max represent both a massive threat of market share loss, and an equally massive opportunity to supply PC makers who are eager to compete.

While you were sleeping …

Chipmaker GlobalFoundries, owned by Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co, is aiming for a valuation of about $25 billion?in its initial public offering in the United States.?Reuters

The new machines address longstanding user complaints, revealing that Apple does listen to user feedback, especially from programmers and other professional users.?It turns out, Apple’s last redesign for the MacBook Pro wasn’t popular among picky users, leading to a period between 2017 and 2020 with eight out of 10 quarters of flat or negative annual growth in its Mac business.?CNBC

In the broader world …

Shares of the first U.S. bitcoin-linked exchange-traded fund rose slightly?in their trading debut on Tuesday.?CNBC

On the horizon …

10/20: Anil Chakravarthy, Adobe EVP Digital Experience on Adobe’s holiday forecast

I’m listening to …