Apple, Intel and PC Manufacturers

[MacRumors]

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TechNewsWorld provides some commentary about potential stumbling blocks in the upcoming relationship between Apple and Intel as well as Intel's past relationships with PC manufacturers.

According to the article, Intel's relationships with existing PC manufacturers have been strained over the years, due to a difference in goals:

Last week I spent some time with two of Intel's most visible partners and to say these folks were unhappy with Intel would be a gross understatement.

Beyond this, the writer claims that Apple's reputation for being a difficult partner as well. One recent report claimed that Apple's switch to Intel was even a surprise to IBM.

Toss in concerned and litigious PC manufacturers who believe that Apple may be getting special deals or earlier shipments from Intel, and it could make for an interesting year. Despite manufacturer's fears, at least one rumor claimed that despite Apple's efforts to obtain earlier chips, Intel was not agreeable.

In the next two weeks, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will take place between January 5-8, 2006 and is the expected launching ground for their new mobile processor (Yonah). Meanwhile, Macworld San Francisco will take place between January 9-13, 2006 where the first Intel Macs are rumored to be announced.

[Ramsos]

I just want a new powerbook. come on Macworld. (Who knows)

[crpchristian]

well it looks like a peaceful marriage to me

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Lawyers are sharpening their knives, just in case there's someone that may be sued if something worth suing over is announced by anyone... what a wonderful world...

Here's to Intel announcing nice new portable processors Jan 6th(?) and Apple announcing new iBooks (in some form) and Mac minis on Jan 10th and the first lawsuit from Toshiba Jan 14th, just because they feel that's easier than actually making computers...

[Scarlet Fever]

i dont care that apple gets better stuff than everyone else. Tell them all to shut up. I just want my dual core iBook

[MacQuest]

Oh my... this is gonna get good boys and girls!

Pull up a chair and watch the hardware wars begin!

[aswitcher]

Oh no, not more chip drama

[mad jew]

We should probably boycott CPUs and go back to rubberbands.

[Bye Bye Baby]

We are all so taken by the glossy exterior of apple that we forget that beneath the shiny surface there is the heart of a multi-national. I shall resist the temptation to use the word rotten. Apple do make great products, but it is at the end of the day business that does have to make money. I do believe that Mr. Jobs has quite a few enemies. Part of the price of innovation? Who knows?? I do know however that Apple has nowhere to go after Intel. I don't think AMD is a possibility. Apple may have to change its tune- it has painted itself into a corporate corner.

[MacQuest]

Hell. I'd be worried too if I were a [P]iece o' [C]rap manufacturer.

Supposing that some of them know that Windows is a junk OS, but having no viable alternatives [Linux? please], then I would see it as a HUGE blow to have a superior OS, that I can't sell on my hardware, be sold on a competitors hardware that is now the same as mine.

"Can I shove my foot up your backside after I use it to kick you in the frontside, Mr. Dell?"

Mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

[MacQuest]

Originally Posted by Bye Bye Baby

I do know however that Apple has nowhere to go after Intel. Apple may have to change its tune- it has painted itself into a corporate corner.

The only way that I would worry about this is if all the PC manufacturers went to IBM... YEAH RIGHT! This is business, not a childish game of "Don't Cross The Line Or I'll Cross To Where You Were".

Not really a game, but, you know...

Point is, Intel provided Apple with a superior road map. Do you really think that IBM would have something up their sleeve in the near future that would make all the PC manufacturers switch to them and deal with the hassles of emulation and re-coding?

Even if they did, this being business, do you think that they would not allow Apple to go back to them to "teach" them a lesson and lose out on a] profits and b] shoving it in Intels face that they won Apple back?

[BornAgainMac]

Perhaps Apple will bully up the supply of the high end chips like they did when they grabed all the micro drives and high end flash memory for the iPods. Remember, companies like Dell only have a major marketshare because a large percentage of their PCs are low end stuff. Intel wants a high end player. Mac owners don't want Celerons powering their Macs and everyone knows it.

[rdowns]

Originally Posted by BornAgainMac

Perhaps Apple will bully up the supply of the high end chips like they did when they grabed all the micro drives and high end flash memory for the iPods. Remember, companies like Dell only have a major marketshare because a large percentage of their PCs are low end stuff. Intel wants a high end player. Mac owners don't want Celerons powering their Macs and everyone knows it.

Apple bullying the likes of Creative or iRiver in the MP3 market is a long ways off of Apple doing the same in the PC market to Dell, HP, Levano etc. Do you really believe Intel will allow a 2-3% market share company piss off the others with 90+% of the market.

[BRLawyer]

Originally Posted by rdowns

Apple bullying the likes of Creative or iRiver in the MP3 market is a long ways off of Apple doing the same in the PC market to Dell, HP, Levano etc. Do you really believe Intel will allow a 2-3% market share company piss off the others with 90+% of the market.

Sorry, it's not 2% anymore (never been, for that matter)...it's getting back to 6% and increasing...only some 4 companies in the world have more market share than that...Apple has already the best desktops in the world...the new Intel portables will be just the cherry on the cake.

[animefan_1]

It should be pointed out that the writer in question is Rob Enderle, arguably the largest dumbass in Mac reporting (the others in the running are Paul Thurrott and John Dvorak).

Here's what he said in the article:

This might not be great for Apple but it would be wonderful for those of us that love design and use Windows.

I don't think I've ever heard a more contradictory statement in my life.


As far as the partnership with Intel goes, I don't think they'll be a bitter divorce right after the honeymoon. Read this quote (source: here)

DGNS: The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Intel has been trying to get Apple to use its processors. Has Intel been talking with Apple?

Chandrasekher: We always talk to Apple. Apple is a design win that we've coveted for 20 years and we continue to covet them as a design win. We will never give up on Apple.

IDGNS: What would you be willing to do in order to win Apple's business?

Chandrasekher: Well, nothing unnatural that we wouldn't do for other design wins. It's got to make sense from a business standpoint. We would do what makes economic sense. If we can do that and still get the design win, we'd do it.

Despite what so-called experts and analysts say, I have great confidence and high hopes with Apple+Intel. Between Intel's coveting them for the past 20 years (and now finally getting them) along with the recent revelation that Steve Jobs wanted to move to Intel five years ago, I'd say it's very possible that we could have a 'match made in heaven'.

[Arcus]

Beyond this, the writer claims that Apple's reputation for being a difficult partner as well. One recent report claimed that Apple's switch to Intel was even a surprise to IBM

One recent report? IBM said this the day Apple announced it. This guy thinks this is new information?

Toss in concerned and litigious PC manufacturers who believe that Apple may be getting special deals or earlier shipments from Intel, and it could make for an interesting year.

And if this is true Im pretty sure Apple would have had to pay through the nose for it.

[Staffroomer]

I'm not worried.. I'll be one of the first to buy an intel iBook with confidence.

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by Bye Bye Baby

We are all so taken by the glossy exterior of apple that we forget that beneath the shiny surface there is the heart of a multi-national. I shall resist the temptation to use the word rotten.

Well, you didn't resist the temptation. And that "joke" was old 25 years ago, so the rest of your post is considered not worth reading.

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by BRLawyer

Sorry, it's not 2% anymore (never been, for that matter)...it's getting back to 6% and increasing...only some 4 companies in the world have more market share than that...Apple has already the best desktops in the world...the new Intel portables will be just the cherry on the cake.

That's Apple's share in the computer market. Its share in Intel processors will be considerably higher (first because of the x percent of AMD's market share, second because of the significant amount of dual processor systems), and its share in revenue will be even bigger because Apple sells more to the high-end market with more expensive processors.

[Stella]

If there are no deals between Intel and Apple then it would be easy to prove. Intel wanted Apple as a customer for years, so maybe they did give Apple some sweeteners? Apple wouldn't take the platform switch lightly - despite lack of progress from IBM and a lagging Freescale.

At around 5% market share, Apple is a drop in the ocean, Apple may be 4th largest PC manufacturer, but their market share is still low. I very much doubt Apple could 'bully' Intel.

If Apple and Intel relationship didn't work, I suppose Apple could jump to AMD ( or use both Intel and AMD ).

[Dont Hurt Me]

Its going to be a very interesting year 2006.

[Stella]

<semantics>
But Apple is a PC manufacturer... ( [P]ersonal [C]omputer ).
</semantics>

:-)

Originally Posted by MacQuest

Hell. I'd be worried too if I were a [P]iece o' [C]rap manufacturer.

[Belly-laughs]

Originally Posted by Arcus

… And if this is true Im pretty sure Apple would have had to pay through the nose for it.

I´m not sure. I think Intel will get amazing market awareness letting Apple introduce Yonah. New processor, sexy computer is better than new processor, dull Dell. My bet is Apple got the first batch for free

[~Shard~]

This all doesn't really come as a surprise - you knew that there would be issues with this new relationship, as nothing goes smoothly in this industry.

Cool that it mentioned CES though as the launching pad for Yonah. I'll be there in person, so I'm looking forward to checking out as much as I can. If there are going to be any other MacRumors members there, let me know, perhaps we can even meet up!

[animefan_1]

Originally Posted by Stella

...I very much doubt Apple could 'bully' Intel...

I doubt Apple would have to bully Intel at all. Intel's business is making faster, more powerful processors. IBM and Motorola (now Freescale) have many other focuses. Besides, even if Intel does have a problem making a chip faster, Apple doesn't have to worry too much because the rest of the industry is stuck along with them. Not a huge problem as long as AMD doesn't have anything significantly better.