Intel CPUs _literally_ boot pretending to be 8088s [0]

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_mode

that's exactly how people describe Intel lineup

And architectural similarities between their first 14nm chip and their last 10nm chips are as m1 is similar to a12z at least, may be even their first 64bit

There was never an A1; the first Apple-designed SoC was the A4 that shipped in iPad.