Macintosh Moving to Intel Processors [Updated]

[Applespider]

99% OF WHAT HARDWARE?? INTEL'S HARDWARE??
You do realise that Intel cpu means intel chipset right? There will probably be some sort of bios lock for OSX but how long do you think it's going to take for a group of good crackers to bypass it??

Sure... and those crackers would never have bought a Mac in any case so what's the loss?

The average consumer that Apple wants to switch to Mac barely have the tech know-how to keep their songs on their iPod let alone figure out how to run a hack on the firmware!

 

[Cheap-Chopstix]

Wow talk about eating my own words... Hell has frozen over. WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!! I totally did not see this comin... I wonder if they will use custom made intel chips or just off the shelf products... if so then it would pretty much be a PC with Apple OS... maybe Apple is thinking about exiting the hardware biz all together and focusing on software and Mac OSX instead. I would have never thought apple would leave the hardware side but now it's definately possible... Probably why Apple has partnered with HP, so in the future HP may make the hardware and Apple the os and software. I dont think will see konka computers with mac osx inside or Dell computers with mac. Crazay this world has gone crazay i say!

 

[oskar]

I don't see why some people are making a big deal that OS X will be cracked to run on any intel processor. So what if it is? Everything that's ever been made has to have some way of cracking it or reverse-engineering-it. So if you think that's going to happen, go buy your PC now and hope that someone bothers with cracking it, because it's obviuosly not going to be you.
Good luck. Apple has been working with this for a long time, and until now they still seem to want to sell their own hardware. So until that changes, OS X will not be able to run on just any PC without a crack/hack. If OS X is cracked to work on any PC, it doesn't affect us mac users, anyways.

As an additional comment: Many others of us believe that Apple's decision for this transition is for the best, and personally after seeing the webcast, I am convinced that this shocking decision will eventually be for the best for the company and for us as was changing the operating system about 5 years back.

 

[fourthtunz]

Here is what REALLY happened.

IBM Thinkpad:
I still have the same thinkpad from 6 yrs ago that works perfectly and is frankly not that slow. It will work for years to come.

Powerbook:
Brand new top of the line bought 2 months ago, obsolete.

Is OSx better than windows? You betcha. Is windows more reliable for long term investment? You better believe it.

I think that there are way better investments out there

 

[shazammy]

Confirmed.

Could someome please confirm that my 3 week old, $2000, 17", 2.0 ghz, 1 gig ram, 250 Gig HD, Rev. B Imac G5 did not just become obsolete overnight......At least my IPOD will work with my new intel machine.

You are fine. That machine will run for quite awhile, and then some. You'll be good for at least 3-4 years, I'm sure developers aren't dropping PowerPC program support overnight. It'll be a gradual thing.

 

[MacTruck]

If Jobs was running OSX on an Intel machine today, why wait 1-2 years to start selling them. Either do it now or not at all...something smells rotten here.

Yeah, thats what I'm saying. 2 yrs? That is rediculous. I love the poeple that are chiming in and saying to chill out the world isn't ending. Yeah, you are just the iTunes user that surfs. What about the people that have tons of macs and have built applications for it for yrs and suddenly it will be gone because of an architecture change. Some people out there don't have to update their software every 3 months to work, they actually have great stuff that is fine out of the gate. After they write that stuff they shine in its glory and move on. Go ahead and ask me to go back and redo something I built 3 yrs ago because the os has changed. If I am not making money off of it I won't do it. Now that is thousands of programmers that have written thousands of freeware and shareware apps. Hell most of their stuff gets broken just on an OS update apple changes it so much but you know what I still feel like my mac is no different then jaguar except for expose and thats about it.

 

[minimax]

I'm not sure how you figure that a 43% increase in Mac sales was "rather disappointing" while the industry as a whole was only up 10% during the same quarter. Maybe you should review those Q2 financials once again. IBM wasn't delivering. Period. That's why they're switching to Intel now...

That 43% increase was fully carried by the imac introduction in Q1 after that it stayed pretty much flat with consolidating imac sales and mac minis playing a rather minor role (estimates are it sells only half compared to the imac g5, much less then analysts had predicted upon introduction, probable reason why apple decided to move to combined sales reports of their desktop and portable line)
Anyways this has already been discussed at lenghts, no need to pick it up again, but just take my word for it there is more underneath those rosy salesfigures then Apple wants you to believe. The air of stagnation around a brand regarded as iconic and trendsetting is plain deadly.
I am constantly amazed to this RDF displayed in full effect around these pages. Apple dumped PPC on rather opportunistic reasons. Let's just hope thier motivations will bare fruit.

 

[rareflares]

If Jobs was running OSX on an Intel machine today, why wait 1-2 years to start selling them. Either do it now or not at all...something smells rotten here.

uh, he needs to wait for developers to recompile their software.


Sure, Apple could release an x86 Mac right now but there wouldn't be any of your software on it other than iLife.

 

[metrobot]

Could someome please confirm that my 3 week old, $2000, 17", 2.0 ghz, 1 gig ram, 250 Gig HD, Rev. B Imac G5 did not just become obsolete overnight......At least my IPOD will work with my new intel machine.

uh, ok. I confirm it. or did your machine stop working out of a sense of betrayal?

 

[bosrs1]

uh, he needs to wait for developers to recompile their software.


Sure, Apple could release an x86 Mac right now but there wouldn't be any of your software on it other than iLife.

Some people have no patience.

 

[apexfork]

Here is what REALLY happened.


As far as apple having a team making OSx for intel all the time, that is bull crud. No way, if they did they could release it today. So, its just a pack of lies.

Um...my copy will be here in two weeks.

 

[mattmack]

I personally dont want apple to use intel chips, but I want IBM to shape up.

what can we do?

You know I haven't heard a lot of the plus side of this partnership
1) Apple will be using one of the most common processors in the world, which in turn makes them cheaper
and
2) Apple will finally be able to compare OS X to Windows on like hardware and show how superior it can be.

The bottom line is as long as it is an Apple OS it doesn't matter what it runs on as long as Apple controls the hardware it puts out it will always be a good experience.

The other thing is remember in 1984 it was Apple against IBM now I think everyone relies on the MHz myth and it has been stated for so long that Intel chips are bad compared to Power PC it becomes a bitter pill to swallow for some, but I feel ths is a good thing

 

[Object-X]

Excellent news

This is excellent news. Apple stated it will support the G5 for years. Even though the road map calls for a complete transition to Intel there is still room for IBM to come out with fantastic chips that will be used in Apple computers. If two years from now the G5 or G6 (whatever it's called) are better than Intel, there is no reason Apple couldn't ship macs with them. Software developers get used to designing their code for easy compiling.

So, there you go. Apple has the best of both worlds. They can support whatever technology is better at the time. This is really a win win for everyone.

Now it's easier for Windows only software to be ported and OS X market share will rise. OS X (leopard) will go head-to-head with Longhorn (Windows 2007) and will be a viable alternative to Microsoft.

Conceivably, a Apple computer will be dual bootable and will be a very desirable computer to have.

Now all you doomsayers that predicted the destruction of Apple hardware if they port OS X to Intel will be proven wrong. Big time.

 

[Mac_Freak]

Here is what REALLY happened.

As far as apple having a team making OSx for intel all the time, that is bull crud. No way, if they did they could release it today. So, its just a pack of lies.

You know that they where running OS X veripsn on Intel today. There where rumors for years that they did, Steve said that they did, so better believe it.

Release it, for what? What you gonna run it on?
The future Intel processors aren't gona be the same CPUs you guys see today. They Will be much beter, perhaps with AviTec, designed specificaly for Apple.
I doubt that Apple will use P4s. I think they gona use next generation P-M (perhaps dual core in PowerBook). Also Intel plans on using the P-M design in their desktop chips. Intel Macs gona be great, everyone is going to see it.

 

[bosrs1]

uh, ok. I confirm it. or did your machine stop working out of a sense of betrayal?

LMFAO!!!!

 

[MacTruck]

I think that there are way better investments out there

What would that be? When I mean investment I mean money. Lets see, I have to open another graphics studio and need 13 machines. I have to buy licenses for all of those machines, which should I go with, apple or microsoft. Ok, I pick apple because its cool and I feel hip. Now 1 yr later I have to buy all new machines and software licenses if I want the latest program that does those renders better. Could have gone with microsoft where the hardware and software will be around for yrs to come.

Apple=BAD INVESTMENT.

 

[skellener]

Pentium 4s are 32-bit. That is common knowledge. Also, Apple's Universal Binary Developer's guide repeatedly references the Intel architecture as IA-32, i.e. intel's 32-bit architecture.

July or August is when they are shipping, so the ones Apple will be using in
1 year will probably be 64bit.

http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/processorsmemory/
0,39024015,39189912,00.htm

http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3482661

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050228-4657.html

 

[iMeowbot]

There's a lot of talk here about Apple being able to make cheaper Macs. Did Steve Jobs say anything about this in the keynote address? There wasn't anything in the press release about Intel chips being cheaper.

That radiator thingy in the dual G5s isn't free, and apparently the G5 couldn't be put into a practical notebook at any cost. And that's where they have the best bet of saving money, is in the infrastructure supporting those chips.

 

[DakotaGuy]

well this sucks.. I just hope they don't put thoes gay stickers on the new macs that say Intel inside.. whats next? Final Cut Pro for PCs?..

I am almost positive that Intel requires branding. Every other PC company that uses them legally brands them. I am hoping however that it is an embedded logo that will look real nice instead of a cheesy sticker. Sure you can pull the sticker off, but on the showroom floor it will look horrible.

 

[oskar]

Yeah, thats what I'm saying. 2 yrs? That is rediculous. ...edit

Jobs said new Macs with Intel processors would be out by next years' WWDC (June '06). Didn't you see the keynote?

 

[Roller]

A few comments:

1. Apple's going to have to walk a fine line marketing their current and upcoming PPC-based Macs over the next year... how do they push the PPC advantage at the same time as they're dropping the PPC?

2. A lot of people out there are going to have trouble telling the difference between an Intel Mac and and Intel (or AMD) Windows box. The "different" in Think Different is going to be mostly about the OS.

3. I doubt if Apple's going to be near the front of the line for Intel's fastest chips, nor are they likely to get as deep a discount as Dell, HP, and others.

4. It'll be interesting to see where in the product line Intel appears first: low or high? laptop or desktop? Given where the PowerBooks are these days, I think they'll start with PowerBooks.

 

[kcmac]

How many of you that are upset actually watched the keynote stream? How many remember something very revealing Steve said something a year ago?

"It is nice to have options." That's what he said and that is where we are.

Today he said one of the rules in developing OS X from the very beginning was that it had to be compatible across processors. It has been designed since day one to run on PPC and Intel. Steve said this was just in case. I doubt Apple wanted to be in this position but I would say this was a genius planning effort.

What if Intel can't hit the mark down the road and IBM starts to fly? Use PPC. If Intel is in the lead, stay with Intel. I am not a developer and that may be a little simplistic. But Apple has put the whole company at stake and I for one believe in them.

I'm also betting that Apple shocked alot of people today with how advanced XCode and Rosetta are. Mathematica was flying. Recompiled in a few hours. Photoshop, Office and even Quicken worked just as they are. Rosetta to the rescue for those apps or devs that can't or won't recompile in time.

This is a brilliant day for Apple. They can go either way and so can the developers. Own an older mac. PPC will still work.

Will this affect sales? It could. But why should it? Everything will still work. Plus the general public won't know the difference. Most don't know the difference now.

 

[MacTruck]

You know that they where running OS X veripsn on Intel today. There where rumors for years that they did, Steve said that they did, so better believe it.

Release it, for what? What you gonna run it on?
The future Intel processors aren't gona be the same CPUs you guys see today. They Will be much beter, perhaps with AviTec, designed specificaly for Apple.
I doubt that Apple will use P4s. I think they gona use next generation P-M (perhaps dual core in PowerBook). Also Intel plans on using the P-M design in their desktop chips. Intel Macs gona be great, everyone is going to see it.

Oh but come one now, mathmatica did it in 2 days with BOB. So that is available right?

 

[bosrs1]

I am almost positive that Intel requires branding. Every other PC company that uses them legally brands them. I am hoping however that it is an embedded logo that will look real nice instead of a cheesy sticker. Sure you can pull the sticker off, but on the showroom floor it will look horrible.

I'm sure Apple worked a deal where they don't have to do the sticker. I can't imagine Steve jobs designing a computer tha thas a sticker on it.

 

[areyouwishing]

Yeah, thats what I'm saying. 2 yrs? That is rediculous. I love the poeple that are chiming in and saying to chill out the world isn't ending. Yeah, you are just the iTunes user that surfs. What about the people that have tons of macs and have built applications for it for yrs and suddenly it will be gone because of an architecture change. Some people out there don't have to update their software every 3 months to work, they actually have great stuff that is fine out of the gate. After they write that stuff they shine in its glory and move on. Go ahead and ask me to go back and redo something I built 3 yrs ago because the os has changed. If I am not making money off of it I won't do it. Now that is thousands of programmers that have written thousands of freeware and shareware apps. Hell most of their stuff gets broken just on an OS update apple changes it so much but you know what I still feel like my mac is no different then jaguar except for expose and thats about it.

It's taking 2 years because the p4 is not fast enough to beat the g5, and they want 2 years to get it there. It's taking 2 years because they want to give developers time and transition at their own pace.

What applications are you so concerned about? Are you a developer? Oh my gosh, you have to re-compile a program that you wrote 3 years ago! I thought real developers update their programs every 12-18 months with new features... which means a re-compile every 12-18 months anyway!