Apple's Historically 'Bumpy Relationship' With Nvidia Detailed in Report

Nvidia has become one of the world's most valuable companies thanks to strong demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) server chips from big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. However, one tech giant that is not a major Nvidia customer is Apple, and a new report attempts to explain why this might be.

Apple vs Nvidia
The Information's Wayne Ma today outlined Apple's historically "bumpy relationship" with Nvidia, but much of the bad blood dates to the 2000s and early 2010s, when Steve Jobs was still CEO and Macs used Nvidia graphics. It is unclear how much these past issues matter today, if at all, and the report acknowledges that Apple's current relationship with Nvidia "isn't entirely acrimonious." Two examples of the companies getting along include Apple's recent collaboration with Nvidia on machine learning research, and Nvidia showcasing the Apple Vision Pro when it announced a new software framework earlier this year.

Apple has mostly rented access to Nvidia GPUs through the cloud from companies like Amazon and Microsoft, and it is reportedly developing its own AI server chip as a longer-term solution, but neither of those things prove that Apple still has an "allergy" to Nvidia as the report states. As has been the case for more than a decade, and even more so in recent years, Apple simply wants to develop as many in-house chips and technologies as possible for many reasons, including lower production costs, improved integration between hardware and software, and reduced reliance on external suppliers. So, this seems less about Apple avoiding Nvidia in particular, and more about Apple owning the whole widget in general.

This trend has been playing out for many years now. In addition to Apple long designing its own iPhone chips, the company started releasing its own Mac chips in 2020, in a transition away from Intel. Apple's long-rumored 5G modem is expected to begin rolling out in iPhones next year, in a move away from its current supplier Qualcomm. Apple is also reportedly developing its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, a move that will impact Broadcom.

So while Steve Jobs may have once pretended an Nvidia executive was no longer in the room during a meeting, as the report states, it seems most likely that Apple simply has no need to directly purchase GPUs from Nvidia. Apple is clearly fine with renting access to the GPUs from cloud providers until its in-house chip is ready.

The report is nevertheless an interesting read, and it reinforces how Jobs was very good at holding a grudge when he was unhappy with a situation.

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Top Rated Comments

ScooterComputer Avatar
14 weeks ago
Then, Apple, sign the fscking NVIDIA web drivers and allow MILLIONS of older Macs to be spared the 'recycling' heap using OCLP! Show your users, not just say the words.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DHagan4755 Avatar
14 weeks ago
It's clear though that Apple was pissed when they were developing Metal & NVIDIA wouldn't acquiesce to allowing Apple access to the hardware. That issue and the whole situation surrounding their failing graphics in MacBook Pros soured things too. Maybe time has healed old wounds but Apple tends to be a company that has the memory of an elephant & doesn't let go easily.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DoubleU Avatar
14 weeks ago

No, I'm not entering my email address to read this article.
Just enter the email address of someone you don’t like ;)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Madhatter32 Avatar
14 weeks ago
Nvidia screwed Apple in the 2000's by selling them defective chips and then not offering any warranty relief to Apple or its customers. It was ridiculous and Apple never forgave them.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nt5672 Avatar
14 weeks ago
Jobs was good enough to be allowed some flaws/prerogatives in his handling of Nvidia, Apple today is not.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrightDarkSky Avatar
14 weeks ago

Then, Apple, sign the fscking NVIDIA web drivers and allow MILLIONS of older Macs to be spared the 'recycling' heap using OCLP! Show your users, not just say the words.
Exactly this. All these Apple zealots love to hug Apple from the back, but we have amazingly good still working computers that can't upgrade because there's no graphic driver. To this day there is no apple graphic driver for catalina. At some point during one of the updates Apple even replaced the last Nvidia driver for OS monterey. When I look at my graphic drivers now the Nvidia is grayed out even though I installed it myself when I install that OS.

I wanted to upgrade my old iMac years ago, the iMac is still in use and it's been 13 years. No way I'm tossing it and buying another Mac so good luck to Apple there.

Lastly, there's already rumors that Apple's going to start doing something different with its gpus. Thankfully I'm super tech oriented for 30 years now, it's not rocket science to see that they're integrated approach has already started hitting walls and can't hold a candle to discrete graphics which was obvious years ago but the CPUs were doing such amazing work and still are, but it can't cover for weak graphics no matter how efficient it is.

I'm very very interested to see how Apple's going to handle the gpus over the next 5 years. And many people forget that the gpus currently are pulling ram from the overall ram pool. My laptop cost $3,400 and I still have to add even more overpriced ram just to make sure I'm still covered for the heavy apps that I use like after effects. It's absolutely ridiculous.

But let the Apple riders ride. I'm a Mac guy through and through but I absolutely despise how Apple treats it's customers. And this is exactly why I don't subscribe to any of their services I don't use any of their apps no Final cut no keynote no nothing been there done that and I'm not having a rug pulled out on me again.

That's my 2c.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)