Intel and Apple in cahoots on several new technologies

In an interview with InformationWeek, Pat Gelsinger, senior VP and general manager of the Digital Enterprise Group at Intel, offered some comments on his company's ongoing relationship with the Mac maker as well Microsoft's thoughts on the matter.

"It's far from done. Let's take it in phases," Gelsinger said of the cooperation between the two industry heavyweights. "First was the honeymoon, where we won Apple as a customer. The second phase was execution and getting products done and, third, we just finished that."

Gelsinger said Apple's MacBook Pro was the last product in which the two companies worked closely. "We've just gotten that done, but a number of projects are under way with Apple on next-generation technologies — but I can't detail those," he said. "Apple is very secretive, even to us. It's the nature of the company."

It's unclear if Gelsinger was referring the MacBook Pro models released in February or the revised Core 2 Duo models due in the next six weeks. However, with Intel believed to have been largely responsible for Apple's Mac Pro released last month, it's likely he is implying the latter.

In the interview, Gelsinger also admitted that Microsoft has expressed concern over the newfound friendship between Intel and Apple's , as it adds yet another operating system vendor to Intel's portfolio.

"But our response [to Microsoft] is that we have a customer that wants to use our silicon," he explained. "Of course we support them. At the same time, I'd say our Microsoft relationship is as good if not better than it has been in our 20-year history."

Rumors that Apple and Intel were working closely to develop new products outside of Macs and iPods gained momentum earlier this year when Deborah Conrad, vice president and director of Team Apple at Intel, said she was "excited" about the prospect of future gadgets from the pair.