Kasper JadeIn the wake of Apple Computer's decision to base its next generation of Macintosh computers on Intel processors, Intel Corp. has created an internal 'Apple group' comprised of both engineers and sales staff, eWeek is reporting.
Gartner research analyst Mark Margevicius told eWeek that Intel sets up groups "to work with as many unique suppliers as possible." While the official Apple group is new, the analyst said Intel has had "skunkwork" operations over the years to demonstrate technologies to potential customer Apple.
Margevicius also noted that Intel makes not only processors, but entire motherboards, including modules for wireless networking. He said that if Apple decides to pass-off the design of its motherboards to Intel, it could lead to economies of scale, which could reduce Apple's costs to manufacturer Macs and result in lower prices for the consumer.
"If Apple is looking to grow the platform, they have to be cost-competitive," Margevicius said.
Additional analyst comments are available in the full eWeek report.
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Cool. Go Intel. I would hope that this means that, somehow, we'll get some of the newer developments that will take much longer to hit PC mainstream given the much more cautious business model of that industry/market.
They must be working with Apple on custom chipsets that only Apple would use. Maybe taking existing designs and modifying them to the needs of Apple. Well at least it's an interesting idea.
How about working with Apple on developing a cross between SSE and VMX? Apple had a lot of input on the original spec of VMX. Another possibility.
It could also be something as mundane as working on getting some fast compilers for Xcode.
The report notes that Intel has similar groups for other large clients such as Lenovo and Hewlett-Packard.
In other words, don't get your hopes up. Sure, we'd love to see Apple first out of the gate with break-through Intel kit ... and the odds are that they will be among the first, a deal Jobs probably secured in the talks knowing his ambition. But the work will come mainly from Apple. Anyway, the products Apple will make will cause shockwaves in the Wintel world regardless, now that like can be compared with like.
Hell, if Darwine or other forms of application emulation ship with or are widely available for Mac OSX86 (emulating only windows calls, not the cpu) then there will be a rough reception for Vista and maybe something approaching a second 1984 after all!
...there will be a rough reception for Vista and maybe something approaching a second 1984 after all!
I dunno... 2006 just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Apple is always going to be the poster child for new tech. It's their thing. And if Intel has cool technology, Apple will be there to put a cool wrapper on it and sell it to the public.
It's a shame that Intel stopped their CMOS High definition TV set on a chip work. I'd have loved to see them part of an Apple home theatre set up.
Oh well maybe Apple can hook up with Canon or Toshiba and get a SED HDTV in the lineup. Those screens look to be hot and it's something Apple would do.