Lester Mak

Commentary has been mixed in the computer world. Investors in Apple and Intel have hailed the move. Some die hard Apple fanatics have cursed Steve Jobs (again). But really, what’s the big deal? There must be something in it if I’m even asked to comment on it…

To be honest, I’m not sure it’s a big deal. Apple have had problems sourcing PowerPC chips from IBM and Motorola for years. Motorola, the manufacturer of Apple’s old 680×0 processors, started winding down its PowerPC chip supply, leaving IBM as the main source for them. But as the consoles such as XBox and Sony Playstations have increased their demand, Apple have been slowly squeezed out.

Apple had the foresight to build its Mac OS X operating system, however, to be able to run on any chip (with a little bit of tweaking). In fact, it’s based on a Unix platform, so it wouldn’t be difficult at all to run on Intel chips. And for years, it has had a secret desire to. Rumours of Apple and Intel collaborating have been around as long as the expiry of Apple’s multicoloured logo, but now have they been realised.

But what does it mean to Mac users. Probably nothing material at all. Apple benefits from a greater supply of chips, possibly a bit faster development. But not for a year at least. Chips will get faster, but that would have happened anyway. And for those now waiting for a rumoured 18 months before a new laptop, my only question is why? The average laptop lasts 3-4 years before replacement. You’ll have a brand spanking new laptop now, and in 3 years time, you’ll have a second generation Intel laptop.

Which reminds me, the rule of buying computers is buy what you can, when you can. Computers progress very quickly and by the time you wait for the model you want, a new one will be out to tempt you. You’ll never end up with your dream computer for that long anyway.

But for Apple, this can’t be a bad move for them. Apple will use this to their advantage. Great marketing leveraging Intel now means that it’s really not that ‘different’ from a Microsoft Windows PC. The chips are cheap, meaning that Apple will earn more profit (as a highly recognised brand, I doubt it will cut prices). And it’s produced a lot of enthusiasm amongst developers.