Apple signs delivery agreement with Freescale

[DeepIn2U]

My god I've owned a Mac - not purchased but on loan - for only 3 months of my life, most of you purchased & still own a Mac much longer, seem to forget the philosphy that is Apple.

1) First to ship A/V adapter imbedded for Video encoding (NTSC) & editing or just watching a TV channel on the screen.

2) First to ship a computer WITHOUT a Floppy drive, just CD.

3) First to ship a mouse to the mainstream market, not just business machines (aka IBM).

4) First to offer Wireless products within computers as an option, and Ad-Hoc/Infrastructure Access Points to the public home/business users.

5) First to offer 17" Display on a Laptop; whether you wanna call it NoteBook/Laptop.

Well you now catch my drift. Whats the point?? Apple mentioned the "year of the laptop" exactly 1 year before sales for any computer manufacturer went through the rough - This year.

The "Year of HD", reference by Mr. Jobs also is a year in advanced. HDTV channels or any import of TV's from ANY manufacturer into the USA must commence by March 2006 in ANY size & must support 1080p resolution format; if I'm not mistaken mandated by the USA government??

 

[stockscalper]

I'd love to see the dual core Freescale dual core in a Powerbook more than anything Intel has to offer.

 

[bbyrdhouse]

I guess the deal must be something along the lines of "If Apple buys G4-class processors, it must buy them from Freescale".

I wouldn't mind a Freescale G4 in a palmtop computer that runs the full version of OS X. I don't want anything from Microsoft (PocketPCs are out) and PalmOS is too weird (reminds me of Windows 3.11). Why did Palm buy BeOS for? They're not doing anything with it!

I suspect you are right about the first part of your post. I don't believe that there is anything major here just a reassurance to Freescale that Apple will continue to use their chips through 2008.

Aslo, is Palm still in business??? 😉

Pocket PC is soooooo long in the tooth. Apple could realy capitolize on the PDA/Phone market with one that run a version of OSX. I also think that this would really increase the sales of computers in the process. Seemless intigration. You dont really get that from WinXP and Pocket PC.

 

[EricNau]

Is the Pentium M from Intel really any good? How does it comapre with the P4? And what is this new Pentuim D I keep seeing? What do you guys think will replace the G5? Will it be as good, and will it be 64 bit?
Intel is just too confusing...

 

[Mero]

APPLECARE

LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACT FORCING THEM TO HAVE A SUPPLY.

iBook, Powerbooks, eMacs, and Mac Minis still hail from Freescale. 3 Year warranties will bring them well into 2008.

 

[Mero]

I'd love to see the dual core Freescale dual core in a Powerbook more than anything Intel has to offer.

uh...too bad what intel has to offer is already better in terms of DC so...rethink that logic.

 

[EricNau]

How does everyone remember what posts they have posted? Do they make a bookmark for everypage in their browser? Just curious (I know it's off topic).

 

[NicP]

Is the Pentium M from Intel really any good? How does it comapre with the P4? And what is this new Pentuim D I keep seeing? What do you guys think will replace the G5? Will it be as good, and will it be 64 bit?
Intel is just too confusing...

Yes the pentium m is good! a 1.6 pentium m is roughly comparable to a p4 2.4.

The pentium d is just a dual core p4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentium_m

i think conroe will replace the G5's in powermacs but thats purely speculation

 

[NicP]

How does everyone remember what posts they have posted? Do they make a bookmark for everypage in their browser? Just curious (I know it's off topic).

click on search > advanced search > insert your name in the "find posts by username"

 

[Sun Baked]

APPLECARE

LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACT FORCING THEM TO HAVE A SUPPLY.

iBook, Powerbooks, eMacs, and Mac Minis still hail from Freescale. 3 Year warranties will bring them well into 2008.

Even without a contract, Freescale will still be making G4s -- Apple isn't the only buyer, but is probably the biggest buyer of computer spec chips.

Replacement parts from Freescale will exist without the contract. If you look at Freescales site, as soon as a CPU gets a replacement Freescale cancels them. All the 1-1.2GHz 7447s are EOL and unavailable.

Even with a contract Apple won't be able to keep buying the current 7447A, since Freescale is even starting to EOL some of those chips -- they'll probably have to buy current replacements in a year or two, the 7448.

Because of the embedded market, one of the reasons we never got drastic change -- was because Motorola wanted to maintain drop in replacements.

The G5 would be a problematic beast after the end of production, unlike the G4.

The G5 was supposed to capture G4 sales, and get people to shift away from other embedded chips. It failed miserably, without Apple -- volume production should be questionable, heck any continued production after Apple is questionable.

I don't see why people think the G4 is going to die without an Apple contract, it stands a good chance of living for a long long time ...

 

[pjkelnhofer]

This is most likely for Freescale's e600 G4 processors, the dual core with extremely low power consumption models...

Do you have anything to base this on other than the mere existence of those chips?

 

[pjkelnhofer]

...
TheStreet speculates that this is a sign of a longer transition timeline. In its own report, Think Secret echoes this possibility but points out that it could just as well be a contingency plan or be intended to allow Apple to buy replacement chips for older models.

The Street article is pretty weak. Basically, the author (Troy Wolverton) says that there is nothing to indicate this is for anything other than spare parts or a contigency plan if there is problem with the Intel change over. Then he adds

But the deal could indicate that Apple is worried that a delay is possible or even probable.

with absolutely nothing to back it up. I hate pure speculation.

 

[iQuit]

Here is what I think....Apple is playing it safe and also doesn't want to lie about AppleCare as well. They need some type of supply, not to mention Jobs said new PPC products are still yet to come. Also some of you are forgetting that once the Intel Macs come out that the PPC won't be absolete for years to come, the Intel Macs will slowly move in...and PPC Macs will still be rolling out of the line. I better get a new PB at the Sept. Expo or I will be pissed, I have been holding out on a new PB for a while.

 

[Sun Baked]

Here is what I think....Apple is playing it safe and also doesn't want to lie about AppleCare as well. They need some type of supply, not to mention Jobs said new PPC products are still yet to come. Also some of you are forgetting that once the Intel Macs come out that the PPC won't be absolete for years to come, the Intel Macs will slowly move in...and PPC Macs will still be rolling out of the line. I better get a new PB at the Sept. Expo or I will be pissed, I have been holding out on a new PB for a while.

This has nothing to do with AppleCare...

Either making use of the work in process or providing a payoff to Freescale.

You have to think that the next generation G4 should have been darn close to production about now, Apple may actually ship the next G4 machine.

Something may be done with the dual core, 7448s, etc. and the Intrepid2 chipset with the new FSB.

We may just see it ship soon, with that machine becoming a Notebook G4 that hangs around like the PowerMac G4 did... don't be surprised if we get more than a speedbump, even though Apple historically used to like a 18-24 month cost recovery for major redesigns.

Edit: Call this a major oops pointed out by the bean counters when they sat down and laid out the realities of the switch, and canceling projects in the pipe.

 

[digitalbiker]

Not true at all

Apple always replaces like for like. If you bought a computer with a 4x SuperDrive and it needs to be replaced under the warranty or AppleCare, even if lowest speed SuperDrive current shipping in new computers is 8x, and even if the new PowerMacs have 16x drivers, you're going to get a 4x drive. No exceptions. Apple isn't going to start dropping Intels in to old G4s just because they need a replacement part. They want you to have to buy a new one at some point, after all. 🙂

I have been upgraded by Apple several times on AppleCare plans. My last Ti 800mhz PB with ATI mobility GPU developed a logic board problem 2 weeks before my Applecare expired. Apple replaced it with a Ti 1 Ghz with a much faster combo-drive, GPU, the works. They even upgraded me to iLife 04 at the time when I didn't own iLife.

 

[irobot2003]

Bingo. Thank you.

In fact, if I remember correctly, Apple provides parts for up to 5-7 years after the last sale of a product. I believe this has something to do with various state laws, but don't quote me on that. 😉

Apple always replaces like for like. If you bought a computer with a 4x SuperDrive and it needs to be replaced under the warranty or AppleCare, even if lowest speed SuperDrive current shipping in new computers is 8x, and even if the new PowerMacs have 16x drivers, you're going to get a 4x drive. No exceptions. Apple isn't going to start dropping Intels in to old G4s just because they need a replacement part. They want you to have to buy a new one at some point, after all. 🙂

This deal does not signify that Apple believes the transition to Intel will take longer than expected. Nor does it signify that they are planning on sticking with the G4 for certain applications (home media device, tablet PC, whatever).

This isn't a clue in to new products, not a brave new branching out for the company. This is a boring, day to day practical/logistical consideration.

I don't believe this has anything to do with AppleCare, just Apple covering themselves in case Intel has problems implementing their roadmap.

I'd find it hard to believe that Apple keeps an assembly line for a discontinued product going 3 years after end of life. I imagine they have reasonably good statistics on failure rates and build enough spares ahead of time to cover what is required by AppleCare. If they fall short they can use refurbs, or replace with a newer model. In 20 years of PC use I have never personally seen a CPU die (even when fans have quit)... so in addition, I imagine it's pretty rare.

 

[llothar]

why would apple design a new motherboard for a dual core G4 powerbook now that steve has already said they will begin using intels very soon? that's a move that also requires a mobo redesign, and that's the next mobo change i can see.

Sure they won't start now with a new motherboard design, but it seems that the decision for the switch was not made a long time before the last keynote.

So consider the designphase of a complete mainboard (especially if it is not a simple upgrade) to 9-12 month. This means that there is a high chance that apple has something in the pipeline.

And it would also be a sign to the customers. If they don't do anything now everybody would consider the G5 PowerMacs and G4 PowerBooks to be abandoned hardware and not buy it. When the switch takes until end 2007 then this means a huge decrease in sales. I think we will see this next time we get numbers. So keeping the trust in the G4/G5 it seems reasonable to release at least some new products.

For me it makes sense that we see something dual in the next future. And don't you think that Apple want to get the fame for being the first hardware vendor selling dual core notebooks ? In the past this was always one of the "think different" parts in Apples marketing compaines.

 

[hulugu]

Watch as everyone jumps to conclusions based on NOTHING. 🙄

I thought that was SOP? Our typical MO? Our reason for posting? Our reason, dare I say, for our existance?

I don't know what to think about this nuggest of information, is Apple going to continue with the G4? Has Apple decided to work with three separate suppliers and two architectures in order to protect themselves from the old processor malaise that they've experienced over the past years? That's seems like a logistical nightmare. Something else is happening.

 

[AidenShaw]

2) First to ship a computer WITHOUT a Floppy drive, just CD.

4) First to offer Wireless products within computers as an option, and Ad-Hoc/Infrastructure Access Points to the public home/business users.

2) No floppy - what outstanding innovation.

4} Don't do any research on Orinoco or Digital's Roamabout - products which preceded Apple's 802.11b products by years.

 

[Xapplimatic]

Today's G4.. still has room to grow more.

Freescale is obliged to provide G4 chips untill 31, December 2008 😱 I hope Apple is just be cautious and not thinking off using the chips until that time.

Just what's wrong with using Freescale's chips exactly? Today's G4 chips are fairly solid performers for lower end and laptop models. Intel's promises about 10x performance increases may end up being complete vaporware. It's happened before. Apple is very smart to sign this kind of contract. Freescale is delivering dual core chips now. It won't be long before Freescale has power use down to be able to provide dual core chips that are laptop compatible. This is exactly the kind of performance boost Apple needs in the interim that doesn't require major design changes to accomodate while they work on their new Intel designs.. It's a very smart move to give themselves the option to use whatever the best available chip vendor is at the moment.. Apple could even decide to stay with PPC much longer or indefinitely if Intel doesn't deliver. Freescale seems to be much more agressively improving their designs than Motorola. They may even enter the G5 market at some point going 64 bit with their line, biting into IBM's niche.

 

[JFreak]

Freescale is delivering dual core chips now. It won't be long before Freescale has power use down to be able to provide dual core chips that are laptop compatible. This is exactly the kind of performance boost Apple needs in the interim that doesn't require major design changes to accomodate while they work on their new Intel designs..

major or minor, up to the reader, but that change would require a new motherboard, which i think apple will not design at this point. should that happen, we could easily expect three(ish) dual-core revisions, which would mean intel powerbooks in january 2008. give or take half a year.

i think apple puts one more single-core g4 revision before intels, but that's it. maybe even up to 2.0GHz speed if freescale can deliver, but the G4 is at the end of its line now as far as apple sees it.

 

[w_parietti22]

2) No floppy - what outstanding innovation.

are you saying that having no floppy was a bad thing???? I think it helped flash drives take off.

 

[~Shard~]

are you saying that having no floppy was a bad thing???? I think it helped flash drives take off.

I think he's just saying it's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things (which definitely could be argued I suppose, if you feel differently). Why not mention then how Apple moved away from the 5 1/4" drives as well then? 😉 Compared to other Apple "innovations", like being one of the first to adopt USB for instance, perhaps dropping the floppy drives wasn't a huge deal. Of course if you feel differently, that's cool. 🙂

 

[JFreak]

perhaps dropping the floppy drives wasn't a huge deal

no. but it happened in 1997 and only just now the rest of the pc industry have begun to drop legacy support, a transition that might go on for years. in this regard, one could say apple was ten years ahead 😉

 

[~Shard~]

no. but it happened in 1997 and only just now the rest of the pc industry have begun to drop legacy support, a transition that might go on for years. in this regard, one could say apple was ten years ahead 😉

Very true. Perhaps the timing in this case, and what it represents, is more important than the item itself. After all, it's just a floppy drive. 😱 😉