With the announcement that Apple will switch from PowerPC to Intel processors in Macs, many have wondered if the new Apple Macintel machines would allow users to run Windows. Probably more have wondered the reverse, if Apple would allow for Mac OS X to run on any old box assembler’s PC. CNET’s Ina Fried reports:
After Jobs’ presentation, Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller addressed the issue of running Windows on Macs, saying there are no plans to sell or support Windows on an Intel-based Mac. “That doesn’t preclude someone from running it on a Mac. They probably will,” he said. “We won’t do anything to preclude that.” However, Schiller said the company does not plan to let people run Mac OS X on other computer makers’ hardware. “We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac,” he said.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Oh, so one could buy a Mac and run both Windows and Mac OS X or buy a Dell and only be able to run Windows. Muahahahahah! So, can anyone explain why would anyone in their right mind would buy a Dell or any other Wintel box assembler’s kit again? This is shaping up to become a “license Mac OS X or die” problem for the Dells of the world. But, what if Steve Jobs doesn’t feel like licensing Mac OS X? Checkmate. Is it too early to suggest that Michael Dell shut down the company and give the money back to shareholders?
Wait until Wall Street figures this one out.
As we wrote in a MacDailyNews Take on May 9, 2005: “The war isn’t over until there’s a surrender. Apple’s still here and the Mac platform is growing and advancing, not shrinking and retreating. As long as Apple makes Macs, as Yogi said, ‘It ain’t over ’til it’s over.’ PCs are turned over every few years; all it would take is for the average user to choose a Mac for their next computer and things would quickly change drastically. With Windows in disarray and Longhorn looking more like Stillborn, right now is Apple’s best time to strike and strike hard.”
Related articles:
Windows users who try Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger might not want to go back – June 07, 2005
Microsoft and Dell must have a lot of bricks lying around today – June 07, 2005
Apple about to resurrect its Switch campaign? Are the ‘OS wars’ really over? – May 09, 2005
Apple Macs are less expensive, more secure, longer-lasting than Windows PCs – April 21, 2005
Switching from Windows to Mac? Save money by asking to ‘crossgrade’ your software – April 12, 2005
Apple Macs are far easier, cost less to manage than Windows boxes – March 02, 2005
Michael Dell owes Apple an apology; Apple up 176 percent vs. Dell’s 13 percent in past 12 months – January 15, 2005
But why would you want windows on your computer???
Why not just buy a windows computer?
Maybe on Apple’s new Intel CPU’s you would be able to install both but not just on any old PC box. Apple will make sure that Tiger will only run on an Apple Intel box not anyone else’s. Probably with special boot roms I would imagine. Remember Apple is in the hardware business so they will want to sell there own hardware. Not just let anyone sell anything that it might run on. But this could be the best way to sell there hardware. I could see the commercial now for Apple. Now you have a choice to run OSX or Windows on any Apple system you buy with the Intel processor in it. Of course OSX would be the default operating system and the user would have to go out and purchase the Windows system but hey, it could be another option for Apple to sell a lot more of there hardware.
“will have to mess with that crappy BIOS thingy and stuff like that?”
Right now, all we know for sure is that OpenFirmware will not be used on Intel Macs, and that “there’s no reason you couldn’t run Windows.” That implies some sort of BIOS-based solution.
However, it’s easily within the realm of possibility that Apple will write their own BIOS that drops support for all sorts of crap that’s in current PC BIOSes for backwards compatibility. Most of that IRQ stuff is only relevant if you want to run Windows 95 or its successors.
That being said, I’ve used PCs at work for a long time, and haven’t had to fiddle with the BIOSes in years, even when adding a new disk, card, or device… most of them “just work” these days.
S-
I see your point… however Dell has crappy support/warranty. As an IT Director with offices throughout the US, I can tell you first hand that Dell warranties suck. The PCs were somewhat satisfactory, but the servers were horrible, and the support was even worse.
With complete consensus from my entire staff, we have banned Dell from our orginization.
“But why would you want windows on your computer???
Why not just buy a windows computer?”
You might install Windows on your Macintosh to play all those games that never get ported. Which might make the game developers say “why port?” It’s really the game developers/porters, I think, that are most afraid by this move.
You would want windows on your apple so you could get viruses that freeze it up so nothing works!
You would want windows on your apple so that when you get bored with working in Photoshop in Windows you can work in Photoshop using the MacOS…
u would want windows on your apple so that when your boss comes in you can quickly switch to windows because only the windows os is allowed in your company…
You would want windows on your computer so you could pay BOTH Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to own their operating systems….and all the subsequent updates…
u would want windows on your apple so you could have this giant hard drive to hold both os and software….
good grief this idea is soooooooooooo dumb.
>iPodder: I guess that killed the alliance with IBM. The G5 3.0 GHz should have been there a couple of Decembers ago and I should be running a Powerbook G5 by now.
I hear ya! I’ve been wanting, needing and waiting on a PB G5 for long, long time. I hope the PB line crosses to Mactel first. That’d be the dream machine for me.
Happy waiting iPodder!
>iPodder: I guess that killed the alliance with IBM. The G5 3.0 GHz should have been there a couple of Decembers ago and I should be running a Powerbook G5 by now.
I hear ya! I’ve been wanting, needing and waiting on a PB G5 for long, long time. I hope the PB line crosses to Mactel first. That’d be the dream machine for me.
Happy waiting iPodder!
>iPodder: I guess that killed the alliance with IBM. The G5 3.0 GHz should have been there a couple of Decembers ago and I should be running a Powerbook G5 by now.
I hear ya! I’ve been wanting, needing and waiting on a PB G5 for long, long time. I hope the PB line crosses to Mactel first. That’d be the dream machine for me.
Happy waiting iPodder!
“Apple will remain a niche player on Intel so long as their prices are premium and the general populace are ignorant of the Mac advantage.”
You know this cost myth is really outdated. My company buys both Macs and Dells, and, comparably equipped they cost about the same! What more does Apple have to do?
For more info:
http://www.systemshootouts.org/
Am I wrong, or is this the official end of “Virtual PC”?
Every so often I HAVE to venture into the Dark Side on my Mac (mea culpa), and this seems to mean that I won’t have to deal with VPC’s machinations any more!
YES!
People need to accept change. This is second transition for Mac, third for Apple (6502, 68000, PPC, X86e), and it won’t be the last. I expect another transition 10 ~ 20 years down the road. Apple has been fairly successful with transitions. Microsoft on other hand has failed in most attempts (X86, i432, i860, MIPS, Alpha, itanium).
Who needs VPC if you can run it natively on your intel processor? It’ll run at native speed as well.
>Bart: You know this cost myth is really outdated.
The reason it persists is that it’s very real. Switching to Macs cost time and money.
– Software needs to be upgraded/crossgraded (costs money).
– Software alternatives need to be found. Some Windows apps don’t have a Mac port so a new product will need to be purchased. Many plugins don’t have a Mac port. Many plugins have to be repurchased because they don’t do crossgrading.
– It’s a different OS and needs to be learned. The are some initial time/training productivity issues.
I’m not saying that Macs don’t offer great value – they do! But the cost to switch is very real and can’t be argued away by saying “they cost about the same”.
—
>What more does Apple have to do?
I’ve oftened wondered this myself. iPod sales went nuclear when it was made compatible with Windows (the most popular OS on earth).
What if Apple did that for the Mac – make it compatible with Windows? Well, it seems Apple is doing just that.
Let me tell you work have slow down alot in the past few month for Dell and It not cause of lack of parts.
>Bart: You know this cost myth is really outdated.
The reason it persists is that it’s very real. Switching to Macs cost time and money.
– Software needs to be upgraded/crossgraded (costs money).
– Software alternatives need to be found. Some Windows apps don’t have a Mac port so a new product will need to be purchased. Many plugins don’t have a Mac port. Many plugins have to be repurchased because they don’t do crossgrading.
– It’s a different OS and needs to be learned. The are some initial time/training productivity issues.
I’m not saying that Macs don’t offer great value – they do! But the cost to switch is very real and can’t be argued away by saying “they cost about the same”.
—
>What more does Apple have to do?
I’ve oftened wondered this myself. iPod sales went nuclear when it was made compatible with Windows (the most popular OS on earth).
What if Apple did that for the Mac – make it compatible with Windows? Well, it seems Apple is doing just that.
>Bart: You know this cost myth is really outdated.
The reason it persists is that it’s very real. Switching to Macs cost time and money.
– Software needs to be upgraded/crossgraded (costs money).
– Software alternatives need to be found. Some Windows apps don’t have a Mac port so a new product will need to be purchased. Many plugins don’t have a Mac port. Many plugins have to be repurchased because they don’t do crossgrading.
– It’s a different OS and needs to be learned. The are some initial time/training productivity issues.
I’m not saying that Macs don’t offer great value – they do! But the cost to switch is very real and can’t be argued away by saying “they cost about the same”.
—
>What more does Apple have to do?
I’ve oftened wondered this myself. iPod sales went nuclear when it was made compatible with Windows (the most popular OS on earth).
What if Apple did that for the Mac – make it compatible with Windows? Well, it seems Apple is doing just that.
I think Intel is in heaven. They finally are working with a company that is innovative and doesn’t hold them back. They are going to do amazing things with Apple.
Where is Apple hurting the most right now? I would think that’s where they want to make changes first. Not the Mac mini.
Don’t be surprised if there is an announcement at MacWorld in September of a new product. And it won’t be a new Mac mini. It will be a Pentium M based Powerbook. Apple has no reason to replace the iMac or the PowerMac just yet. Yeah, the Mac mini could stand to get off the G4. But what will make Apple more money, the Mac mini or the PowerBook? I think its been in development for a while and Apple needs to get something out for the holiday rush. And laptops are outselling desktops now.
Now, the next big event is MacWorld. That’s where SJ will be addressing the rest of us and not just the developers. Look out July!
What can we expect at MW? Well, my thoughts:
1. some of that new great hardware that SJ says is in the ‘pipeline’. Probably a tablet and new wifi max.
2. iTunes rev for podcasting
3. initial details on Leopard
4. some details on new Intel processors
5. possible a video streaming store
6. new rev of QuickTime that allows faster streaming and better H.264
7. demos of OS X running on Intel
8. next rev of Tiger
9. more details on how the switch will affect us all, especially whether Leaopard will come as a universal binary and therefore run one current machines
10. more examples of native Intel software, maybe even Office!
We live in interesting times!
Remember, M$ bought it because people would use Virtual PC for PC.
If anything, this is going to be a cashcow for M$ selling Windows and Virtual PC for Mac. I can’t see M$ being worried, especially since I am sure there is something worked out between them and Apple regarding technology sharing (both ways for x86 and PPC) and not treading on each other’s territory… yet…
“It’s clearly a golden opportunity for Apple, unless they get greedy on pricing. Keep the sticker price no more than 10-15% higher than a comparably equipped Dell and they go from niche player to 800-pound gorilla. Again. Steve, please learn from the “$10,000 Lisa” fiasco.” (Winston)
Winston, I agree with your take 100%.
Back-in-the-day, I bought my first Mac for over $7,000! I think it was as powerful as my new pda.
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The niche strategy with huge margin was obviously the wrong marketing decision. Lower margin, broad market segments is the ticket.
And yes, Hell, HP and the other “clones” are toast! (Figure it out). M$ is seriously against the ropes.
The masses and pop media will eventually pick up on this.
I came across this article from somebody who does technical “advising” in the publishing industry:
http://www.itworld.com/Comp/2296/nls_solutionsapple050609/
Hilarity ensues, but not for the reasons the author thinks.
So, “pricey” G5 models aren’t cheaper than run-of-mill PCs. Go figure! Pricey PCs are more expensive than iMacs, too… Seriously, does one buy a high-end PC to run Quark express? Why would you do the same with a Mac?
And why would Windows running on an Intel-based Mac suddenly negate the product?
The answer to the question is “Because they are cheaper.”.
David Coursey predicted this in Aug, 2002. His premise was “may the best OS win”.
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/4520-6033_16-4207510.html
“Why buy a Dell when Apple ‘Macintel’ computers will run both Mac OS X and Windows?”
Why do people buy crap from the Dollar Store. Because it’ cheap and convenient.
If Apple could offer a MacIntel running OSX and Longhorn for less than a Dell, delivered as quickly as a Dell. Then it’s a no-brainer.
Too bad that isn’t going to happen.
Many people are trained on Windows and feel no need for OSX.
Plus, many people will be keeping their existing hardware and just buying Longhorn. Even if it will run like shit.