Powering Up Innovation: Apple and Intel's Partnership

For years, Apple computers have pushed their own processors and operating systems, but it appears that the tide is turning. Apple recently announced a new line of dual-core Intel-powered desktops and notebooks.

This is an intriguing move on the part of both Intel and Apple. Apple has, in a sense, "made a deal with the devil" by opting for Intel dual core processors. They fought it for years, but it appears they have finally caved.

What's more intriguing is that Intel is putting dual core processors in the Macs. This strikes me as a sign of Intel's desperation. For years, they have dominated the processor market, with little competition from AMD, the other major processor manufacturer. AMD has recently clawed back market share with their 64 bit dual core and server processors. With major players such as DELL and HP beginning to offer AMD Opteron processors, it's no surprise Intel is feeling threatened.

The new Apple computers will even be able to run Windows operating systems, further cementing Microsoft's market dominance. The Macs use Pentium D dual core processors, which were released some time after AMD's dual core range. AMD's lead over Intel is costing them in terms of processor sales.

Who knows what the future holds for this new collaboration. A year ago, the thought of Apple supporting Intel processors would not have occurred to me, but here we are. Despite the fact that Intel dual core processors are significantly cheaper than AMD dual core offerings, AMD sales appear to be soaring while Intel processor sales appear to be declining. If Intel does not improve quickly, they will be where AMD was three years ago.

keywords : Intel and Apple