Following the disappointing sales of the much acclaimed PowerMac G5 that was targetted to hit the 3GHz mark way back in the day, Apple is venturing forward by working together with Intel to forge the PowerPC chip’s future.
The PowerPC chip that has powered Mac systems for so long is a concerted effort between Apple, IBM and Motorola where it is understood that in the last few years IBM took the lead in the design and production of the latest PowerPC chip. Following the disappointing launch of the PowerMac G5 and IBM’s inability to match the promised supply schedule, Apple has decided to look into other alternatives, enter Intel.
“Our goal is to provide our customers with the best personal computers in the world, and looking ahead Intel has the strongest processor roadmap by far.. It’s been ten years since our transition to the PowerPC, and we think Intel’s technology will help us create the best personal computers for the next ten years,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.
“We are thrilled to have the world’s most innovative personal computer company as a customer,” said Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel. “Apple helped found the PC industry and throughout the years has been known for fresh ideas and new approaches. We look forward to providing advanced chip technologies, and to collaborating on new initiatives, to help Apple continue to deliver innovative products for years to come.”
Despite numerous rumours, Apple has not expressed any plans to release a Windows version of their Mac OS X operating system. To date, a high percentile of Apple’s sales are hardware driven, with software lagging behind. It is unlikely that we will see an authoritative Apple release of a Windows version of the Mac OS X operating system in the near future.
However, having said that, it would be interesting to see Mac OS X running on an ultra fast Intel RISC processor paired with the latest AGP cards the industry has to offer. If the Apple-Intel partnership bears fruit, this might be a pivotal point in the operating system paradigm.
The direct kickback to this news is the likelihood of reduced Mac hardware sales in the following quarters. Die-hard Mac fans thinking of an upgrade will most likely hold onto their savings until the latest Apple-Intel hardware rolls off the factory floor.