The Wall Street Journal has reported today in their Monday, June 6th edition that Apple Computer has been informing certain business partners about the company’s pending move from IBM to Intel processors.
“Apple will start shifting its Macintosh line next year to Intel chips, in a major change of strategy for the computer maker. The move could be a blow to IBM and Freescale, which now supply Apple’s PowerPC chips. Such a move could help Apple ensure that its Mac systems remain competitive with rivals like Dell Inc., of Round Rock, Texas. It could be a prelude to collaboration with Intel in developing new devices for homes and offices. And it might help Apple reduce its prices, a longstanding disadvantage; an industry executive suggested that the computer maker sought, and won, more-attractive chip prices from Intel than it could get from IBM, of Armonk, NY,” The Wall Street Journal reports.
Full article (paid subscription required) here.
John Markoff and Steve Lohr report for The New York Times, “Steven P. Jobs is preparing to take an unprecedented gamble by abandoning Apple Computer’s 14-year commitment to chips developed by I.B.M. and Motorola in favor of Intel processors for his Macintosh computers, industry executives informed of the decision said Sunday… ‘This is a seismic shift in the world of personal computing and consumer electronics,’ said Richard Doherty, president of the Envisioneering Group, a Seaford, N.Y., computer and consumer electronics industry consulting firm. ‘It is bound to rock the industry, but it will also be a phenomenal engineering challenge for Apple.'”
Markoff and Lohr report, “the chips I.B.M. makes for Apple represent less than 2 percent of chip production at its largest factory in East Fishkill, N.Y… For I.B.M., the end of the Apple partnership means the loss of a prestigious customer, but not one that is any longer very important to I.B.M.’s sales or profits.”
Full article (free registration required) here.
MacDailyNews Take: Whatever happens, remember what we’re fond of saying: it’s the OS, stupid.
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Apple’s shift to Intel really all about Hollywood, owning the living room, and Transitive – June 05, 2005
Why would Apple switch? PowerPC is smaller, more efficient, cheaper than comparable Intel chips – June 05, 2005
Intel Inside Apple Macs? – June 04, 2005
Intel in Macs?! How’s Apple CEO Steve Jobs going to spin that switch? – June 04, 2005
Apple to switch to Intel chips starting in 2006 – CNET [updated] – June 03, 2005
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Intel CEO Otellini: If you want security now, buy a Macintosh instead of a Wintel PC – May 25, 2005
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Apple bundles videos with select music albums via iTunes Music Store – May 10, 2005
Apple releases iTunes 4.8; now supports QuickTime video along with contact, calendar transfers – May 09, 2005
With Mac mini Apple CEO Jobs attacks the Achilles heel of Windows dominance: the living room – January 14, 2005
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Can Apple crack the living-room conundrum before Microsoft? – December 30, 2004
NY Times: Can Steve Jobs put Apple in the center of your living room? – March 23, 2004
iPod success opens door to Mac OS X on Intel – March 04, 2004
IN 3:45 HOURS YOU WILL AL LEARN THAT YOUR PRECIOUS MACS ARE NOTHING MORE THEN COMMODITIES. IT’S GOING TO BE FUN WATCHING YOU EAT CROW AND ENBRACE THE INTEL CHIPSET. JOIN THE HERD
I don’t care what happens if it means a chance for Apple to get more market share. I’m not an elitist, I want as many people as possible to enjoy the Mac experience — just like I love how most music players sold are iPods.
This fucking sucks.
Hopefully it is either something mild, like Intel is just making PPC chips.
Or Apple has something huge coming down the pipe that doesn’t risk the entire Mac platform.
So Apple has 2% of the computing market according to the media. Apple also apparently accounts for 2% of IBM’s chip production. Does that not mean that IBM make all the chips in the world?
Not buying into the hysteria of all this hoopla, I’ll just wait and see.
But the scariest thing about such move if it happened is that the entire computer industry would have all its eggs in one chip-basket.
I know. There is AMD. But……
Competition is what fuels a free-market economy. Remember how bad the post office was before FudEx and PhewPS were allowed to compete?
Wait. Bad example, the PO is still screwed up.
Goodbye Altivec/VMX, you will be missed. 🙁
^^^^
The saddest part of this whole deal.
For those Mac Faithful…. stay tuned
For the PC goons… It isn’t about the CHIPS, STUPID!! It’s about the Software and the experience.
If only you all knew the TRUTH… the song you’re singing might be different!
“So Apple has 2% of the computing market according to the media. Apple also apparently accounts for 2% of IBM’s chip production. Does that not mean that IBM make all the chips in the world?”
“If apple consumes 2% of IBM chip production and has a 2% share of the market does this mean that IBM 0wns the remaining 98% I don’t think this adds up, even allowing for faulty intel processors.”
IBM also makes chips that ARE NOT PERSONAL COMPUTER PROCESSORS!
Let the world know…just found this!
http://www.cafepress.com/compapple
It has been said before that Steve Jobs is a “hardware agnostic”, so a move to Intel is at least plausible. But Mr. Jobs is also no fool and I expect that Apple has a plan in place to make the transition as smooth as possible for all players involved — if this rumored Intel move proves true.
Wow, I really wish I hadn’t just read iCon. It really shakes my idealistic beliefs in Steve Jobs abilities (which is good), but it makes me have a lot less faith in these types of deals. This could be the begining of one of Apple’s finest hours or it’s absolute worst. SJ reminds me of the type of poker player who goes all-in so often that it’s great and exciting to watch, especially because of how often he comes away doubling up. Each time it gets harder to explain away with a good deal of luck. In the end though all it takes is one time that the cards don’t hold up. One time with these dramatic moves.
Also, I wonder if this helps explain the total lack of advertising for the G5 and OS X? How long ago was the PPC written off as the future? Was it way back when it became apparant that IBM would not hit the 3 GHZ target in 12 months? If so then everything from the time they decided this to now has been a smoke screen, a procession to a dead end. What’s the point of a marketing blitz to encourage more people to move to a system. Those are all more people you will alienate down the road when you ask them to now move back to Intel, upgrade it all again.
This whole thing is exactly why the super success of the iPod scared me a lot. Every time MDN reported the phenomenal rise of the iPod I had a nagging fear that Apple might stop thinking it needs the Mac as much as I do anymore. The iPod is temporary though. In 20 years it’ll be a footnote. Don’t get me wrong I love my iPod but I love my Mac much much more. Hopefully the Mac as we know it does not lose it’s soul in this deal.
Looking at the transitive website, they already have a high profile customer for this Quicktransit program.
‘Transitive® Corporation’s QuickTransit™ Software Released to Production in Silicon Graphics Prism Visualization System for Linux’
Quicktransit was developed in Manchester uni in the UK interestingly enough.
It’s quite exciting the possibilities this creates. Apple have an x86 version of osX and all the old software still works and works well. Not only that we can now run windows software aswell with a WINE type bit of software. Many more people would be able to switch to macs as a result. There would be a level playing field between windows and oSX, with no reason left to stay with windows.
So Apple talked with its partners about an Intel shift…
With the rumors flying, I’m sure “the shift” was a topic of conversation – but we don’t know what the extent of the shift is. It’s our fertile imaginiations (or lack thereof) that pushes the direction of the shift at the moment.
So of course this rumor is correct!
FACE THE FACTS –
It’s about the total solution (OS included), dummy. As somebody else said, I don’t care if there are two gerbils inside the box as long I get the best solution there is. Sorry, Windows doesn’t qualify for me.
“IT’S GOING TO BE FUN WATCHING YOU EAT CROW AND ENBRACE THE INTEL CHIPSET. JOIN THE HERD”
Oh no it won’t be – when you realize that Intel will put huge resources into showing what they can do with the best OS in the world. It will put all of Windows’ 47 million lines of code where it belongs – on the floor under the pile of Longhorn shite!
IBM have blown it with just too many projects in too many directions. In the end satisfying Apple was too much trouble for the return it gave them.
Intel have lot’s to offer and this will ensure Apple wins the home entertainment game as it has the music game. The rest will follow.
Look at this about their new Yonah chip: http://news.com.com/Intel+spills+beans+on+Yonah,+the+next+notebook+chip/2100-1006_3-5729925.html?part=rss&tag=5729925&subj=news
Interesting to hear so many people say ” this will be the biggest disaster OR the most amazing move SJ ever made”.
Well it’s correct that NO-ONE can judge this -only time will tell. What you can do is have faith in the man who has done so well so far. And much better that Apple moves than stagnates with IBM as an uncommitted partner.
I THINK INTEL WILL BE MAKING PPC CHIPS FOR APPLE!!!! STAY TUNED!
Computers running OS X would mean that the OS could be sold to Windows users, where the market for a new OS that works would justify working with Intel to produce an OS optimized for the latest Intel chip plans. Selling the OS and retaining the Mac customers on the IBM platform might be the plan, which would mean that Apple could threaten Microsoft’s massive OS market without producing a single Intel based Mac….and the OS for Intel could be somewhat less capable than the OS for IBM chips…what it would mean is that new Mac customers might buy Intel based computers instead of IBM ones, so Apple would lose out on the profit (if any) from selling computers, but would still get the profit from selling the OS. This way, whichever chip advances the most, is what the customer will be able to buy. So that’s what I would do in the catbird seat at Apple. We will know forthwith…as I write this at ll40 EST
Intel fabbing PPC’s for Apple, Apple making an iPod like consumer device with an Intel chip in it, or News.com.com trolling for hits and internet infamy are the only sane answers to this switch to Intel Bullsh*t.
I hope there are some PowerPC chips in Intel’s future. I don’t want no stinking x86 chip as the brain of my machine.
I’m getting so dizzy trying to figure out what’s going to happen to my favorite computer company.
All I know that this is very disruptive and might prove to be Jobs’ best move ever and one that will go down in the (computer) history books.
first Jobs will announce the Intel partnership — then he will annouce the first ever Intel/Mac hardware “MacTab” as in the tablet for the rest of us…the tablet will be the first Mac on Intel…it will be the final string that pulls the wool over our eyes…dooms day is near.
adios
BUY SHARES IN INTEL NOW!!!
If this rumours true the motherlode of share rises is about to land!!
There’s gold in them there chips!!!
If you have IBM shares – youre gonna be bankrupt by the end of the keynote!