While the Core and Core2 Duo processors have been very good to Apple and have almost certainly driven sales, there are murmurs that the chipset it’s running on is perhaps no longer adequate. As Apple Insider suggests, it may be that Apple has had enough of thinking not-so-differently from other laptop makers. They may be headed to another provider for the boards, integrated graphics and sound, and so on, hopefully setting Apple’s laptops apart from the pack.
I don’t know what the alternatives really are (and Apple’s not commenting), but if they do pick one, that provider will need to have a licensing deal with intel to work with their processors. Awwwkward! I doubt Intel will take a move like that lying down, and in fact may be holding all the cards in this situation. We’ll keep tabs on it and let you know if anything develops.
It’s not a long stretch to think that Apple is actually taking advantage of its P.A. Semi acquisition in made a while back. After all, the chipsets that Intel makes are mostly custom-made just for Apple (at least for a while others get a hold of it).
You beat me to it. I think a move like that wouldn’t be for another few years down the line, but its not crazy to think they’re getting the wheels turning now. Would certainly prevent piracy around Apples products, i.e. Psystar or however you spell it.
I think Apple has said the PA Semi stuff is only for iPhone and iPod stuff, but like bonafortuna says, a couple years down the line could change that.
And while the chipsets are custom, I doubt they’re really more than a few serious steps away from the regular stuff.
They could be nvidia chipsets.
Well, i’m a happy MacBook user with an… Ubuntu Linux!
But very sad is the issue all this problem started with MacOS-X, which is a so weak operative system when compaired with Linux.
I don’t think Apple will change the processor architecture again, because this would be hugelly stupid. This change maybe can mean the end of Apple.
What Apple should do is bet on the multicore computers – at the shops, the only 8core computers i find for sale are just Apple, as far they could bet also on 16 and 32 core computers as well – and even truly multicored MacBook-pro would be awesome as well..