Apple to ditch IBM, switch to Intel chips

[Placebo]

Apple Computer plans to announce Monday that it's scrapping its partnership with IBM and switching its computers to Intel's microprocessors, CNET News.com has learned.

Apple has used IBM's PowerPC processors since 1994, but will begin a phased transition to Intel's chips, sources familiar with the situation said. Apple plans to move lower-end computers such as the Mac Mini to Intel chips in mid-2006 and higher-end models such as the Power Mac in mid-2007, sources said.

The announcement is expected Monday at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco, at which Chief Executive Steve Jobs is giving the keynote speech. The conference would be an appropriate venue: Changing the chips would require programmers to rewrite their software to take full advantage of the new processor.

IBM, Intel and Apple declined to comment for this story.

http://news.com.com/Apple+to+ditch+IBM%2C+switch+to+Intel+chips/2100-1006_3-5731398.html?tag=nefd.lede

Craziness. :o

[aeolian]

1. WTF?!?

:wow:

An apple running Intel chips?

:freak:

[Placebo]

2. Possibly.

We'll find out Monday.

Pretty cool if ya ask me. :D

[benburch]

3. A processor is a processor!

And likely they will have an emulation mode like they do for the old 68K processor software.

[Placebo]

5. Not at all.

It's a huge, let me say again, huge shift if Apple decides to go this route. All of their software will need to be recompiled and in some cases rewritten, not to mention the problems involving current Mac owners. All, or most, of the Macs in use today run PowerPC processors from either Motorola/Freescale or IBM, Intel processors are x86, it's very different.

It can be done. Steve Jobs himself has said that OS X could run on Intel processors, but the transition will be long and difficult.

[benburch]

20. I know intimately how they differ...

And I am also sure that the user will NEVER notice the difference.

Power PC development has basically stalled out, and the X86 type processors have advanced to the point where PPC has no speed advantage. By the time the new machines hit the street, we will have much faster X86 type processors and emulation of PPC code will be quite fast.

I am also betting that Intel will add features to the processors to help this happen.

Darwin, the OS upon which MacOS X is based already runs quite well on X86 class machines. A side effect of doing this will be that it will be possible to create a Linux emulation layer and run most Linux ELF binaries directly!

[AlCzervik]

6. it's only a rumor at this point

my husband works for Apple, he'll be at the WWDC on Monday, we shall see.

[tmorelli415]

4. Good news

IBM sold its entire PC division to the Chinese... not sure if that includes processors but seems likely... Intel makes their stuff here... Of course, you don't see any Repukes complaining about IBM selling off a huge division to the Communists and moving thousands of jobs offshore in the process... IBM may be 'Big Blue' but it is all Red (Repuke red, and now Communist red)... The hypocrisy makes me ill.

[Placebo]

7. Well...

the IBM chip division, and the IBM computer company are totally different. They used Intel chips in their PCs, but their chip division is still based in the US and alive and humming. They really do make fantastic chips for blade servers, supercomputers, the latest XBOX, and, I thought, Apple Computers. :)

[billbuckhead]

8. Apple is very frustrated with IBM &Intel is very frustrated with Microsoft

This seems like a marriage made in capitalist heaven. Intel has to be frustrated with the slow delivery of Longhorn and Apple is beyond frustrated with the slow development of Power chips. Both companies ambitions are being severely held back by the monopolistic practices of IBM and Microsoft. It is interesting that Apples new IBM chips are behind schedule and Microsofts aren't. I bet they've been working on this for quite sometime and will get it rolling before Longhorn. I bet Powerbooks are the first to change then miniMacs.

I bet Intel has been sitting back watching the progression of OS X and wished someone was doing that for them. Conversely, Apple has watched Intel constantly kick IBM's ass for 2 decades. Intel will use Apple to put the pressure on Microsoft and the box makers to keep up with Apple in innovation. An example is when Intel had to develop it's own prototype version of the Mac mini.

[daa]

18. Way too slow for Macs

Jobs has been after them for over a yar for a 3 Gig processor and IBM is worried about game consoles some Jobs dumped them.

[Deja Q]

9. Easier to do thanks to FreeBSD... whoops, OS X... and you won't see this:

prices going down in response to the crossover.

[billbuckhead]

11. Intel's 'mac mini' rejected by vendors

"Intel's 'mac mini' rejected by vendors"

Computex 2005 Not a sure thing, say manufacturers

By Simon Burns in Taiwan: Thursday 02 June 2005, 08:39

"INTEL'S EFFORTS to interest Taiwanese manufacturers in its 915GM-based platform have met with mixed results so far. Aopen accepted Intel’s proposals, and went ahead with its ‘Pandora’ Mac mini lookalike, which has attracted huge attention. First International Computer (FIC), also adopted the platform for its GE1 series, flatter than the Mac mini, but with similar overall volume. FIC’s representative claims that her company was selected by Intel from amongst many manufacturers eager to make 915GM systems, but in reality, it seems several companies actually turned Intel down."
==============snip---------------------

<http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=23660>

This just isn't a normal business transaction.

[Brundle_Fly]

10. Relax.

I think everyone is thinking that a switch to Intel means a switch to x86.

Now I can see how that could be a horrible thing for apple and the developers around the world, but if memory serves the Power PPC program is an open one. Meaning that Intel could develop a processor that would still follow that route, making all your Apple computers still viable and not about to become trash.

Intel is frustrated because when people think Intel they thing windoZe, and windoZe, basically becoming an awful mess of adware, malware viruses and the like.

I have 2 apples and a PC here on my desk, and I love the apples, and I hate the PC, but I don't fault the PC's processors for the lack of enthusiasm I feel towards it, I fault MS, and its crap OS.

Apple wouldnt make a change like going to Intel to try to capture more of the x86 market, they would only go to improve the chip speeds of the systems they already have in place.

here's to hope.

[billbuckhead]

13. Think about the insider trading going on around this

Wouldn't you really want to know what's going on? This also shows why Apple is so goofy about secrecy. It sure would be interesting to know how far along they're along with development.

Apple stock went down Friday and will almost certainly go up with the Intel announcement. Nice pickups for some traders.

[htuttle]

16. I could see it going either way

Technically speaking, there's very little that would prevent Apple from switching to x86. I'm sure OSX still compiles on x86 -- it used to back on 'Rhapsody 1.x' (I still have a copy of the x86 'Yellow Box' + Rhapsody for x86).

Financially speaking however, I doubt Apple would make such a drastic move as to stop building hardware boxes (they tried going 'software only' at NeXT, and it ultimately killed NeXT), so I doubt Apple would switch to x86 since there's simply already too much competition from other box builders on that chip.

I think you're right in that it's much more likely that Intel would be building a PPC based chip. I'm sure it would be something 'big endian'.

However, anything could happen during Steve Job's keynote address. Especially when he says, 'Oh, and one more thing...'

[Placebo]

17. No way Intel will manufacture a PPC.

It's just not worth the amount of capital they'd have to invest in developing and fabricating one. And for what? Just for Apple? C'mon. :silly:

It's x86 or bust.

[bpilgrim]

12. wish they would have chosen AMD instead since it has been out performing

Intel.

This is definitely BIG news though... i wanna here the reasons WHY.

what's the rumor mills say?

peace

[lateo]

15. If it runs on Intel

AMD will run it better...don't worry. :)

[bpilgrim]

19. true

unless they make some kind of exclusionary/proprietary deal which Intel would kill for and knowing apples past practices i would say it isn't out the question... but if it is open an that means OS X will run on Intel or AMD I'd the happiest camper on the planet ;->

:hi:

peace

[lateo]

14. I just love what Apple is doing.

Steve is really sticking it to MS lately. Their move to Unix was sheer brilliance and if they move to Intel MS is in big trouble.