5G Is Here Thanks To Apple’s New M1 Chip For Macbook Air And Pro

Apple’s latest upgrade, the M1-empowered MacBooks, doesn’t really have the biggest changes. However, it’s the 5G that comes with it that’s the massive upgrade. 

On Tuesday, Apple spent 45 minutes describing the benefits of their new custom-designed chip, the M1. It’s the newest technology that’s powering the new Mac models. The company’s senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, emphasized its power-saving capabilities, which is the longest battery life ever for both MacBook Air and Pro. 

He also shared the Mac Mini’s quick boot up and run applications. However, it might just be what they didn’t spend time on that holds much promise for the new Apple models, the 5G. Cellular connections used for laptops have been around for years; however, it’s been largely considered a niche-category for corporate workers. 

Then the coronavirus pandemic happened. It changed everything. Literally, everything. It changed the way we see connectivity and even the way we work. If you think about it, the coming of the 5G network with its promise of higher speed and better coverage in the coming years will surely capture the hearts of not just the working class but students and old folks as well. 

Since remote work is becoming the new norm, 5G could be the best solution for the enterprise world. Since these chips are founded on the Arm architecture of mobile processors used on smartphones and tablets, they’re already widely used for cellular radios. These processors are capable of balancing power management with a cellular connection, so they really come in handy. 

Why didn’t Apple used it for their MacBooks before

Only the next generation of Macs will be running on the new Apple silicon. While the new models are relatively similar to the previous Macs but the company isn’t really taking any chances. Truth is, the added 5G feature that most customers aren’t making a buzz right now makes very little sense at this point. 

That’s because, despite its lack of cellular connectivity, Apple still is producing great results. Thanks to its 7.7% accounted sales of the total PC market, according to Gartner. Moreover, Apple just launched its iPhone 12 models, where 5G plays a major role. Despite its growing stage, the 5G network’s nationwide coverage is almost disappointing. 

That’s because only a small part of the population has access to super-high-speed connectivity. That poses a big challenge to the immediate benefits of faster connectivity. On the contrary, 5G is seen to play a significant role in laptop connectivity in the coming years. Carriers will certainly offer another product. 

Just think about it, you’ll be able to work anywhere without having to depend on a Wi-Fi hotspot. All you need is your laptop. Also, despite Apple using Qualcomm modems for their iPhones, they’re secretly working on their own modems, spending about $1 billion to secure Intel’s cellular radio technology, including business and talent. This is appealing to everyone. Add to the fact that 5G connection is a lot more secure than a public Wi-Fi. Think about it; it’s cleaner to pay for a 5G service on a Mac instead of wondering how much your company will subsidize your home broadband connection. 

With the effects of the coronavirus lockdown, companies are thinking of maximizing remote employees. This makes 5G the best solution.