APPLE to use Intel Processors!!???

[HereticPB]

Apple Computer Inc. plans to announce on Monday that it will switch to using Intel Corp's microprocessors and phase out its current chip supplier, International Business Machines Corp., CNET News.com reported late on Friday. The technology news Web site said that Apple plans to move lower-end computers like the Mac Mini to Intel chips in mid-2006 and higher-end models such as the Power Mac in the middle of 2007, Cnet said, citing anonymous sources.

Apple's Chief Executive Steve Jobs is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on the first day of its annual conference for software developers on Friday, a venue the report said would be appropriate for an announcement that would require significant changes to the way Apple software is written.


More at this link (http://money.excite.com/ht/nw/bus/20050603/hle_bus-n03284709.html)!


I bet this will stop the argument between PCs and Macs. Ahahaha, OMG, 2 percent market share. That is sad! That means PCs rule 98% of the market!!

In all seriousness, this might be a bad idea. Especially, after Friday, yesterday with the Ipod fiasco and Apple's stock dropping a dollar eighty.


HtPB

[Eidorian]

I've been reading up on this. I can see Intel making PowerPC chips or Apple asking for WiMax chips for their new computers. I just can't picture running OS X on the x86 CPU's. It's going to trash Apple worse than switching from 68000 to PowerPC. IBM hasn't been able to provide the quanitity of CPU's that Apple wants. Quality isn't the issue here. Intel can make hordes of chips. Intel doesn't just make x86 chips, they also have the licensing for ARM.

[HereticPB]

But allows apple to expand that tiny 2% marketshare and probably have more programs than ever before.

It is more about money than quality of chips here.

[Eidorian]

But allows apple to expand that tiny 2% marketshare and probably have more programs than ever before.

It is more about money than quality of chips here.*shrug* Apple is turning a profit and doesn't want to alienate it's current loyalist. They'd lose their current following. I just go my iMac G5 today and they'd lose me too if they switched to Intel chips. I don't want my education purchase to go down the drain.

[HereticPB]

LOL, educated purchase. They work but not for long

[WolfmanNCSU]

By switching to the x86 chip, all previous software will have to be recompiled and rebuilt. Looks like Apple has finally gave in to byte-swapping.

[dork]

granny smith are my favorite

[Eidorian]

LOL, educated purchase. They work but not for longWhat do you mean? We have a 400 Mhz G3 laptop at work running OS X 10.4. It's 6 years old and runs the lastest OS. Sure it has 512 Mb of RAM. It's a good machine for reoprts and web browsing. That's all we ask from it. I got Applecare too. =P

[HereticPB]

hehehe. I have PC care - me

[Eidorian]

hehehe. I have PC care - meI got it for the free replacement parts.

[HereticPB]

Its official!!

Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL (http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=0&symbol_search_text=AAPL)) on Monday said it will shift to using Intel Corp. (INTC (http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=0&symbol_search_text=INTC)) microprocessors in its Macintosh computers, severing its long relationship with International Business Machines Corp. (IBM (http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=0&symbol_search_text=IBM)), which had supplied chips to Apple. Apple said it will begin delivering Macintosh products using Intel microprocessors, the number-crunching nerve centers of personal computers, by this time next year and will have all of its flagship Macintosh computers using Intel processors by the end of 2007.

Apple has publicly expressed frustration with IBM as a supplier in recent quarters. IBM had problems producing enough working versions of its PowerPC 970 chip, which Apple calls the G5. Also, IBM has yet to produce a version of the G5 that consumes less power and would be suitable for use in Apple's laptop personal computers.


http://money.excite.com/ht/nw/bus/20050606/hle_bus-l06518048.html

[Eidorian]

Apple needed this switch for their portable market and not their desktops. Apple is still putting in the ancient G4 chips into their laptops while Intel is making great strides in their Pentium M and Centrino lines. The G5 works great in a desktop but IBM never delivered it for the portable market. Notebook sales are gaining every quarter now. You can get desktop power at around the same price or just a little more now. Would the average consumer want a laptop or a desktop if the laptop can do the same things at the same price?