We know that the CPU inside the Apple TV is a slightly custom version of a standard Intel CPU, but why stop there? Why doesn't Intel make all manner of customizations to its processors for Apple? Or for other companies for that matter?

It would work like this. Apple analyses its code and identifies a small number of operations that, if they were faster, would have a significant effect on the speed (or the apparent speed) of their computers. Intel implements the changes, Apple used the chips, and everyone is happy. Nobody is unhappy because their code does not rely on that particular operation as much as Apple's does and there are no downsides to the change.

Or it could get more competitive. Apple has Intel add extra instructions that improve performance for selected, important code. If the CPU does not implement those instructions, then the Apple code just does it using generic code. In this way the new machines are faster, of course, but importantly, are faster than equivalent Windows machines because their software does not know about the new instructions. They could be fully documented and still not give anything away.

This would also mean that Apple code could know if it were running on a genuine Apple machine. It would deliver slower performance on clones than on Apple hardware because the Apple hardware would run the special CPUs.

There is no reason that this has not been done already. Apple makes iPods and iPhones too and they would benefit greatly from such a performance/battery efficiency boost. TenSilica does a nice business adding special instructions to CPUs for exactly this purpose.

Tags: Apple, Intel, Crazy Ideas