“Wall Street analysts and Mac experts are predicting a surprise announcement of a new Intel-based Mac at MacWorld this January,” maya Roney reports for Forbes. “Back in June, Apple Computer announced that it would have a Mac running on Intel chips by June 2006, but the Street and the geeks have a hunch that the company could make the transition much sooner… ‘Our extensive checks in the supply chain are pointing to a very possible early introduction of Intel-based Macs before the June 2006 target date, with a possible Intel-based Mac Mini introduced at MacWorld,’ wrote UBS Analyst Ben Reitzes in a recent research report.”

“The move to Intel microprocessors marks a tectonic shift for Apple. It’s been ten years since the company’s last microprocessor transition, the PowerPC, which was developed through an alliance of Apple, IBM and Motorola. An early transition to Intel could guarantee Apple a more reliable, cost-effective supply of chips,” Roney reports. “Also, removing the strict hardware-software ties of the Mac could reach a whole new market of users who want to use either a Mac operating system with an Intel processor or Windows on a Mac machine.”

Full article, with more predictions that cover Intel-based Mac minis, Intel-based PowerBooks, new iBooks, new software, new iPods, the debut of “Asteroid,” and more, here.

A report published this past Friday by AppleInsider states “that the iMac and PowerBook — two of the company’s most recently revised Mac offerings — are targeted to be the first two Mac models to receive Intel processors in January.”

Full article here.

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Related articles:
UBS: Apple to unveil Intel-based Mac mini in January; AAPL share price target raised to $74 – November 07, 2005
RUMOR: Apple’s Intel-based Macs coming in first quarter 2006 – November 04, 2005