Linus Torvalds Wishes Apple’s M1 Chip Ran Linux

Apple’s very own M1 chip has been gaining positive reception since its launch this month. The ARM-based processor, which is now found in the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini, has gotten a lot of people talking. This includes Linux principal developer Linus Torvalds.

As reported by The Next Web, Torvalds said he was open to the idea of using an M1 chip-powered Mac device. However, Torvalds wishes it could run Linux.

When answering questions via the Real World Tech forum, Torvalds was asked his thoughts on Apple’s M1 chip. He candidly responded saying: “I’d absolutely love to have one, if it just ran Linux.. I have fairly fond memories of the 11″ Macbook Air (I think 4,1) that I used about a decade ago (but moved away from because it took Apple too long to fix the screen – and by the time they did, I’d moved on to better laptops, and Apple had moved on to make Linux less convenient).”

Although Apple’s processor is able to natively run many apps, there are some notable exclusions, including Linux. While Apple does run its cloud services and servers through Linux, Apple’s silicon does not enable the OS to run on its devices. This appears to be a deal-breaker for Torvalds.

“I’ve been waiting for an ARM laptop that can run Linux for a long time,” Torvalds continued. “The new Air would be almost perfect, except for the OS. And I don’t have the time to tinker with it, or the inclination to fight companies that don’t want to help.”

Although Torvalds is waiting patiently for an ARM-based laptop to run Linux, he may be waiting a while longer. Apple appears to be in no distinctive rush to enable Linux support through its devices.

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