Apple to Drop IBM?

[Calliander]

Someone please tell me this is a fake:

http://news.com.com/Apple+to+ditch+I...1398&subj=news

If it's true, that's crazy. I'll be at HQ on Monday while Steve's giving the keynote.

[cka]

it's probably fake, just like it is every other week. Just cause news gets on C|Net doesn't make it automatically true.

It makes no goddamn sense for Apple to just drop PPC processors in favour of intel (despite IBM getting big contracts for doing the next group of console chips.) *IF* this pans out, you're probably likely to see dual arch releases for awhile to ween people away from IBM's chips, then a full-on adaption to x86. But I'm not putting any money on this, cause this is the fourth time in about 2 months I've seen this rumour surface.

And if it does pan out, the thought of a pentium m powered power/ibook sounds sexy as all hell.

[EMAGDNIM]

NAh...its a fake, I would be stupid for Apple to change now. Plus they JUST (rumered) solved the G5 powerbook cooling problem...

[kedawa]

It's no secret that apple has had darwin running on x86 for years. A switch isn't totally out of the question, but it wouldn't mean that MacOSX would be released for PC. Apple isn't going to radically change their whole business model just because they're using a different processor.
Who knows, maybe Intel will begin manufacturing some PPC derivative, or produce some sort of custom Itanium for Apple.

[Diff-chan]

Apple's business relies on high-end, high-profit margin hardware. Releasing MacOS X on x86 hardware would KILL that business model. It just so happens to be the business model that has turned Apple's fortunes around and made them more money than ever. It'd be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, or something.

I dont think they'd do it.

[stormy]

Apple's business relies on high-end, high-profit margin hardware. Releasing MacOS X on x86 hardware would KILL that business model. It just so happens to be the business model that has turned Apple's fortunes around and made them more money than ever. It'd be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, or something.

I dont think they'd do it.

If it happens it's not because it's what they think is best, but because they are slowly getting forced into the situation where it may become thier only real option. PPC architecture is not advancing fast enough, this is what fueled the move from Motorola to IBM in the first place. Now if IBM is stalling on the arch as well, unable to extract the necessary performance increments to keep up with the x86, then Apple will have to make another move. There aren't many (any?) other advanced/cost effective GPP architectures out there. The only other real option seems to be x86, hence the speculation, and Apple's early R&D on the possibility.

[kedawa]

Actually, the PPC architecture is advancing quite steadily. There are already several multicore versions in production, and most are 64bit. The problem is with manufacturing. IBM just can't get high enough yields of the 3+GHz G5s. That's why I think if apple and intel have any sort of deal at all, it would involve intel using their industry-leading manufacturing tech to make PPCs.

[Diff-chan]

PPC architecture is not advancing fast enough, this is what fueled the move from Motorola to IBM in the first place.

I thought it was because Motorola was dumping the PPC line altogether...

[Wildkat]

It made the WSJ and AP today, so I would guess its going to happen.

[cka]

http://www4.macnn.com/macnn/wwdc/05/index.html

live updates

- apple releasing new itunes with podcast support
- quicktime 7 for windows today

ok I'm eating my hat right now.

# Jobs introduces Wolfram's CEO, who said they ported Mathematica 5 to Intel-based Macs in 2 hours. Working version in 20 hours. [10:40 am]

# Widget/Scripts/Java --> Just work. Cocoa --Xcode (tweaks, recompile) --> A few days. Carbon - Xcode (twek, recompile) --> A few weeks. Carbon Apps --Metroweks -- Jobs says to transfer to Xcode. Over half of 100 developers using Xcode. Nex Xcode 2.1 delivered today. News Xcode generates a single "universal binary" that supports both processors. Available to everybody at registration desk following the keynote. [10:37 am]

# Mac OS X has been leading secret double life. Every Mac project build for Intel and PowerPC and Intel. Every release of Mac OS X has been built for both Intel and PowerPC-based Macs. For the last 5 years. Mac OS X is cross-platform by design. Apple's demo is on an Intel-based system. Jobs shows all Mac OS X Tiger features are already compatible with Intel-based processors. Not done yet. Will put into the developer hands to help Apple finish it. [10:32 am]

# Two major transitions for Mac: 68K to PowerPC. Next Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X. Now time for third transition. Transition to Intel-based Macs. Developers Now. Next year for users. "Because we want to make the best computers for our customers." No G5 PowerBook yet. Future products can't be build on IBM of PowerPC. Intel has performance and better performance per watt. Intel delivers much better performance per watt. Starting next year the first Macs with Intel processors. Shipping by next WWDC. Mostly complete by 2007 WWDC. Complete by the end of 2007. Two-year transition. [10:28 am]