Had the StrongARM processor come out a little earlier you could just about imagine an alternative where Apple had picked it over the PowerPC. DEC released the StrongARM in 1996 and it was faster and far lower power than Intel's Pentiums of the time.
The StrongARM IP ended up with Intel as XScale when they bought out DEC's semiconductor manufacturing operations as part of a legal settlement. But the lead of Digital's design center that built StrongARM went on to form PA Semi, who Apple bought in 2008. The first Apple-designed ARM chip was released a couple of years later with the iPhone 4 in 2010.
The StrongARM IP ended up with Intel as XScale when they bought out DEC's semiconductor manufacturing operations as part of a legal settlement. But the lead of Digital's design center that built StrongARM went on to form PA Semi, who Apple bought in 2008. The first Apple-designed ARM chip was released a couple of years later with the iPhone 4 in 2010.