Into thin air: Apple considered using AMD's 'Llano' processors for its MacBook Air.
Apple considered putting a notebook processor introduced by Advanced Micro Devices last year in its MacBook Air ultralight laptop computer, several former AMD employees say.
At the time, AMD was adapting to a new, fabless business model and cranking out new ‘fusion’ processors that combined a central processor (CPU) and a graphics processor (GPU) on a single slice of silicon.
On paper, however, the idea was promising, and a notebook processor, dubbed ‘Llano,’ got a close look from Apple for an update to the ultralight MacBook Air, scheduled for launch in mid 2011.
For the full story, click here to read our profile of Advanced Micro Devices from the March 12 issue of FORBES magazine.
Apple and AMD have a long history. Apple has hired several AMD employees, including Bob Drebin, chief technology officer for AMD's graphics group. AMD's Radeon graphics processors come standard on many of Apple's Macintosh computers.
AMD’s engineers were trying to do too much, too quickly, however, shifting to a new manufacturing process at Global Foundries for a processor with a radical new design.
AMD couldn’t even get early working samples of Llano to Apple on time, one former employee says. Several former AMD employees disagree on just how close AMD came.
"We had it," one says. "But the yields didn't come in."
Instead, Apple chose to new Intel processors dubbed 'Sandy Bridge,' that, like AMD's Llano, included built-in graphics processing capabilities.
While AMD missed a chance to upstage Intel in a high-profile product with 'Llano,' another mobile processor, dubbed ‘Brazos,’ has been an unqualified success.
Like Llano, the processor combined a CPU and GPU on a single slice of silicon. Unlike Llano, it could be cranked out cheaply using older manufacturing technology at Asian contract manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
The cheap, powerful part put a major dent in sales of cheap, Intel-based ‘netbook’ computers. AMD now describes Brazos as the fastest selling platform in its history. “If Brazos had been killed AMD wouldn’t be in business,” a former employee says.
Perhaps the only dissapointment: AMD pitched a low-cost, low-power processor, dubbed ‘Brazos,’ for a new version of its Apple TV set top box, former AMD employees say. Apple didn’t bite.
