With the recent announcment by IBM of new G5 dual core chips, easily comparable with what Intel can produce, the whole Apple/Intel deal now seems somewhat strange. However in his latest column, Robert X Cringely gives some opinions as to quite what is going on, speculating that this is part of a bigger picture, moving towards the regularly denied video iPod.
An article well worth reading.
So it has been confirmed, that Apple are to switch from IBM chips to an Intel based architecture. The main reasons given talk about a better roadmap for the Intel architecture, but basically boil down to the problems IBM have had producing fast and cool running G5 processors, rendering a G5 based Powerbook impossible.
Interesting gems from the keynote included confirmation of what has always been rumoured, that Apple have had an Intel version of MacOS X up and running for years. In fact every major version of the OS has been compiled on an Intel platform, and Jobs gave the entire demonstration with an Intel based Mac.
However, as has been speculated, although the underlying processor will be Intel, this won’t be running MacOS X on a PC. After the presentation and Apple VP confirmed that Apple will not support running of Windows on a Mac, nor will they allow MacOS X to run on non Apple hardware – however I doubt that will stop people from trying!
A couple of weeks ago Reuters started off on the Apple are going to switch to Intel chips rumour mill again. As usual nobody involved would comment officially, but there were a number of “inside sources” who have confirmed it. Robert Scoble has been commenting on the story, and claims inside knowledge.
However, others are offering a different take, considering whether Apple may be going Intel for something else.
The Tao of Mac site also links to the debunking, but also offers some reasons why even if they make the switch, you won’t be seeing a dual boot Windows/MacOS X machine.
Mac Rumours has a summary of the current state of the rumours.
From my point of view, I’m not overly bothered whose chips are in the machine, as long as it works, and as long as I’m not left in a situation where large amounts of software won’t work on the new machines because of a change of underlying processor. What makes a Mac what it is is the operating system. I’m also not expecting to see a version of MacOS X that will work on a normal PC either, as with Apple’s current business model where they sell high margin hardware, it would seem to be corporate suicide to allow cheap PC clones to run the OS. Let’s not forget that Apple tried it back in 1997, and pulled the plug on the clones.
Anyway, we shouldn’t have long to wait, as Steve Jobs is due to give a keynote at the Worldwide Developer Conference next week.