Apple, Intel and PC Manufacturers

[samh004]

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.

I thought I heard somewhere that they (IBM) weren't even considering, nor did they care, about making the G5 into a portable version. So why wouldn't they think Apple was going to disappear ?

Seeing as the G4 was going nowhere fast and they weren't going to give Apple a portable G5 I don't see how they expected to hold onto them for much longer.

 

[Stella]

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.

Totally agree - but Apple couldn't pressure Intel into price reductions and receiving new processors first or add processor features that would benefit apple ( more than others ) - that kind of thing.

 

[Bonte]

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.

Correct, and Apple probably uses just 2-4 different types of chips so in these segments (dual chips for portables and mini) its going to be the biggest player in the market capable of buying up the complete available stock.

 

[~Shard~]

Not a huge problem as long as AMD doesn't have anything significantly better.

You mean like AMD's current dual core offerings which kick the crap out of Intel's dual core chips from a performance perspective?

Yes yes, I know there are other factors at play wrt that argument, but still...

 

[Randall]

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!

The dual core Yonah will blow away current laptop users. They have never seen this much processing power from their portables, not to mention extended battery life to boot. This things will be flying off the shelves (at least in the PC world). We'll wait another week and see how many of Apple's products will be available with it. I can't wait.

 

[SiliconAddict]

The difference being that Apple is a small enough player that they can move over to AMD if (or when) AMD gets their manufacturing capabilities in line if Intel gives them ****.

I'm not overly concerned. "Analysts" are just stirring the minutia pot. That is all. Apple is in the same boat as everyone else. No one has the advantage at this point from a purely hardware perspective.

 

[SiliconAddict]

You mean like AMD's current dual core offerings which kick the crap out of Intel's dual core chips from a performance perspective?

Yes yes, I know there are other factors at play wrt that argument, but still...

That's mainly because the Pentium D was a hacked together offering. Intel even admitted as much. Wait til Summer.

 

[~Shard~]

The dual core Yonah will blow away current laptop users. They have never seen this much processing power from their portables, not to mention extended battery life to boot. This things will be flying off the shelves (at least in the PC world). We'll wait another week and see how many of Apple's products will be available with it. I can't wait.

Hopefully it will be iBooks, PowerBooks and maybe even Mac minis! Perhaps iBooks first, with the dual core Yonahs, then PowerBooks in the very near future when the performance edition comes out, and the Mac minis who knows when - either right away, or when the single core version comes out, tough to say...

Regardless, great times are ahead!

 

[SiliconAddict]

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...

MacRumors Maturity Level for today: Yellow (Moderate levels of stupid comments based on pretty much nothing.)

 

[Randall]

The beauty part of this x86 switch is that in this world AMD drives Intel and vice-versa. Apple can just come along for the ride if they want, and in the end they will still win. Intel will constantly be innovating for the PC, unlike IBM who had their sights set on consumer electronics this whole time. Intel knows that if they every fall signifigently behind AMD, they will lose business with huge players. That should be motivation enough for them to continue to reinvent the wheel.

The next couple of years will be incredible for hardware innovation. I can't wait!

January 2007: dual core 64-bit "Merom" processor for laptops with 2x performance gain on "Yonah" *drools*

 

[jvaska]

The heat is on. Sorry to "PC" manufacturers that they have to put up with second rate stuff (and I'm not talking about Linux).

Sours grapes is what they call it. This particular writer is certainly getting some and many kinds of kickbacks.

 

[Randall]

That's mainly because the Pentium D was a hacked together offering. Intel even admitted as much. Wait til Summer.

Yeah true. Am I right in thinking that the Pentium D is actually 2 seperate dies as opposed to a "dual core" die? Also the FSB gets shared between dies, so you have an 800MHz FSB effectively cut down to 400MHz etc.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Yeah true. Am I right in thinking that the Pentium D is actually 2 seperate dies as opposed to a "dual core" die? Also the FSB gets shared between dies, so you have an 800MHz FSB effectively cut down to 400MHz etc.

Yep.

 

[animefan_1]

...January 2007: dual core 64-bit "Merom" processor for laptops with 2x performance gain on "Yonah" *drools*

Why January 2007? I'm hoping Apple will be a launch partner when they ship in Q3 2005. . Maybe Apple and Intel can time it so Merom can be released in a new PowerBook at Apple expo Paris (Sept 12-16, 2006). Set your watches folks!!!

 

[thejadedmonkey]

this is a PoC posting. By this time last year, didn't we have pictures of products to to along with the rumors that aren't appearing? So we all know apple's going to release some sort of intel based computer.

Where are the other rumors? or is the intel based computer the only thing happening at macworld 06?

P.S. I just read an article over on digg.com about IE:Mac, and as long as we're no longer posting rumors over here, why not post that? It's a much better, more interesting read, than this is.

 

[dongmin]

You guys are overlooking a few things:

1. This recent switch has actually made Apple less dependent on specific processors, i.e. 'processor agnostic.' Universal binaries will be the wave of the future. Apple has learned over the years that their strength is in software and industrial design. So the suggestion that Apple will somehow become more dependent on Intel since they've cast off IBM and Motorola is bunk.

2. Apple operates in a different market than Dell or HP. Apple doesn't need the same financial incentives to make their relationship with Intel work. Sure big discounts on low-end processors are always nice, but it's surely not why Apple switched from Motorola/IBM to Intel. From all indications, Motorola's processors are considerably cheaper than the Intel mobiles.

3. Whatever comes out of Apple-Intel can't be any worse than what came out of Apple-Motorola. And Apple endured that disfunctional relationship for a looooong time.

4. Intel has already started to align its marketing-speak with Apple. Apple is the first major player to tout Intel's 'performance per watt.' Supposedly, that's gonna be Intel's new metric/marketing-speak for the next wave of processors. So we're seeing a kinda of shared vision (at least in public) that we haven't seen with Intel and other PC manufacturers.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Why January 2007? I'm hoping Apple will be a launch partner when they ship in Q3 2005. . Maybe Apple and Intel can time it so Merom can be released in a new PowerBook at Apple expo Paris (Sept 12-16, 2006). Set your watches folks!!!

Apple has show us a willingness to launch products outside the holy Apple trinity (MW,WWDC,AE.) Personally I fully expect them to launch Merom for back to school sales. Which might mean Aug-Sept launch. who knows. Merom is still somewhat out there when it comes to a launch date. Heck if you think OEM's are battling over Yonah wait until Merom. I expect full scale hand to hand combat between CEO's.

 

[Stella]

Apple and other manufacturers will be playing on a level playing field - with the same ( Intel ) processors. I don't see how they will be putting up with second rate stuff.

Oh Windows - isn't that how it has always been?

I don't think OSX will cause other manufacturers much problems - the number of switchers will be a drop in the ocean - they won't be feeling any hard pinch. Apple hopefully will increase their market share by a few % ( I hope more , of course ) but life will go on as it always has done for them.

The heat is on. Sorry to "PC" manufacturers that they have to put up with second rate stuff (and I'm not talking about Linux).

Sours grapes is what they call it. This particular writer is certainly getting some and many kinds of kickbacks.

 

[d_and_n5000]

Where are the other rumors? or is the intel based computer the only thing happening at macworld 06?

Basically, yeah, Intel is just about all that is happening. Besides a possible new Shuffle, Intel is it. Think about it. Apple is due to get Macintels out by June. Many software companies need to get software for them. Having a production model in 6 months early will chances are only speed up the process, ecause they can test is on actual hardware. Besides, Apple could use some positive publicity, and this will garner it up for them. "Apple comes out with Intel Macs 6 months ahead of schedule" sound like a nice little headline that will probably occur quite a lot. It would probably also increase revenue and sales for Apple, and consequently market share. Macs will become the ultimate computer, because you can buy an awesome looking computer with an awesome, totally secure OS. Then, a year down the road, if you feel that OS X isn't cutting it for you, you can put Windows on it. Tons of people will snap these suckers up, and having them out early, as long as they are high-quality, can only help.

 

[Peace]

With MS using PPC chips for the XBox it wouldn't surprise me any at all if MS was doing the same thing with the PPC that Apple did with the Intel chip as far as porting to a different CPU..

 

[SiliconAddict]

With MS using PPC chips for the XBox it wouldn't surprise me any at all if MS was doing the same thing with the PPC that Apple did with the Intel chip as far as porting to a different CPU..

*sighs* Windows is NOT going PPC. Period. End of story. Close the book. Go to bed. ZZZZzzzzzZZZZZ

 

[Randall]

With MS using PPC chips for the XBox it wouldn't surprise me any at all if MS was doing the same thing with the PPC that Apple did with the Intel chip as far as porting to a different CPU..

No, the PC world will NEVER leave x86 architecture. The only reason Microsoft is useing PPC for their gaming consoles is that IBM is focused very much on the gaming front. Sony PS3 will be using PPC as well. IBM has decided to dedicate their energy to having close to 100% of the gaming market, as opposed to <5% of the PC market. It makes perfect business sense to lead the industry and retain as much market share as possible. IBM knew a long time ago that their battle in the PC industry was finished.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Apple and other manufacturers will be playing on a level playing field - with the same ( Intel ) processors. I don't see how they will be putting up with second rate stuff.

Oh Windows - isn't that how it has always been?

I don't think OSX will cause other manufacturers much problems - the number of switchers will be a drop in the ocean - they won't be feeling any hard pinch. Apple hopefully will increase their market share by a few % ( I hope more , of course ) but life will go on as it always has done for them.

I hope to see 7% market share by end of year 2007. *fingers crossed*
Personally I expect Apple to sell a [bleep] load of laptops in 2006. A complete and total [bleep] load.

 

[animefan_1]

With MS using PPC chips for the XBox it wouldn't surprise me any at all if MS was doing the same thing with the PPC that Apple did with the Intel chip as far as porting to a different CPU..

The WinTel market has a hard time of getting rid of floppy drives and parallel ports. How do you think they're going to get rid of the x86 processor?

 

[mdavey]

Where are the other rumors? or is the intel based computer the only thing happening at macworld 06?

Intel is the big one. Apple have been especially tight-lipped this time around, but there are rumors about just about everything under the Apple:

* Some kind of HTPC offering from Apple
* FrontRow 2.0
* Airport Express with Video
* iPod Nano with Video
* iTablet (tablet Mac) or portable version of iMac
* iPhone (mobile (cell) 'phone from Apple)
* Small widescreen iBook / PowerBook (13" or 13.4")
* Really small iBook or PowerBook (~10")
* iBook Thin
* Larger Apple Cinema Displays
* Apple Cinema Displays with built-in iSight
* iPod with built-in iSight
* iLife '06 with FrontRow and PhotoBooth, Bluetooth Apple Remote
* Apperture Express to replace iPhoto
* iWork '06 to include Numbers, a spreadsheet application
* Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard (although this goes against Apple public record stating that Leopard would be unveiled at WWDC in summer 2006)

Most of these are probably wishful thinking.