Apple killing Atom support, dreams of netbook hackintoshers in next Snow Leopard release?
By Tim Stevens 
posted November 2nd 2009 6:59AM
posted November 2nd 2009 6:59AM
Nobody said running a netbook hackintosh would be easy -- but nobody said they'd make it this hard. Apple is currently engaged in a war of compatibility with Palm and, if the developer build of Snow Leopard version 10.6.2 is any indication, the Atom processor is next on the smack down list. Word on coder street is that the upcoming revision of OS X will kill support for Intel's little powerhouse. That could certainly change before it hits the world at large, but we wouldn't bet on it. So, if you're viewing this on an netbook install of your own devising, you may be stuck at version 10.6.1 (or earlier) for awhile -- or you may need to do a little custom kernel building. Either way, we're thinking that if Apple ever gets around to making a netbook it probably won't be an Atom-powered one.
Its a beautiful business model:
Apple has software that is in massive demand in proportion to their market share.
Instead of diluting their exclusivity, they restrict the software massively.
This pumps people into the hardware sales, where they can charge what they like.
Fanboyism aside, you have to appreciate the economics.
Remmber it's a gadget blog not an investor one. As consumers we absolutely do not care about their business model. It's the Apple fanatics/apologists who for some reason jump every time Apple limits consumer rights. Ironically it's a selfdefeating strategy. Apple already lost with this strategy once and will do it again. One simply can not win gainst the whole world.
@ lilo Quite the opposite is true. Apple nearly collapsed in the past when opening up their os to third party hardware manufacturers. The closed eco system that returned with jobs in the '90s saved the company and has proven to be extremely profitable.
And to those of you who think that this is a gadget site and a business model doesn't matter, you should think about it a little more. If gadget companies don't have profitable business models then there would be no money for development and manufacture of the high tech gadgets you so dearly love.
If you don't like how Apple handles their software then buy a windows or linux box, pretty simple solution.
Good, they should stop it from running on all non-Apple hardware.
Apple back onto their Ghetto little old tricks, Yeah shame so many people were able to show how u could get the ohhh so powerful leopard OS onto an MSI Wind. You guys keep trying to curb that cash now !
I'm of the opinion that these hackintosh netbooks help Apple sales in the long run. There are tons of people who want to give OS X a test drive on their cheap netbook, before making an expensive commitment.
My first "Mac" experience was on a hacked MSI Wind, and I really loved OS X. But it became tiring working with a 10-inch screen, loading kexts, etc. so I bought a MBP and never looked back. I think this is what the majority of the netbook hackintosh ppl do, they get a taste, and want the real deal.
So this update/kill has a possibility of backfiring on Apple.
One can only hope...
I see your point, but I would look at it from the view of piracy of music, videos, and software. If somebody can get the vast majority of the functionality for cheap or free with a little work on their part they are never going to pay full price for it. Hence these people that are making OSX work on cheaper hardware are never going to buy an actual Apple machine as long as they can keep running it on their hardware of choice with little inconvenience of hand updates and such. Similar to how the RIAA and MPAA claim lost sales to piracy, the people pirating stuff were never going to buy it in the first place so either they are going to find it for free or not have it around to listen too. Its like claiming that pan handlers would just right up and get a job if governments made giving money to pan handlers illegal. The pan handlers would just find some other way of getting money, they certainly wouldn't go get a job.
I agree that it will lose sales for Apple in the long run because of decisions like this. I have an MSI Wind that was running Leopard. The network card could be a pain and no Netflix streaming was a big gripe (it thinks it's a Power PC).
Now that I have Windows 7 on it, I use it much more, the battery life is better and I have Netflix streaming. I've been an OS X user for about 5 years now (getting a new MB or iMac at least once a year), but Apple is ridiculous now and Microsoft has stepped it up. My next computer purchase will not be running an Apple OS.
When I used Windows, Suse and Ubuntu for more than 10 years, I never attempt to run Mac OS X on PC machines. Then, I bought MBP and now using SL. I obey law. I dont want to break it. I am a responsible citizen and netizen.
Things like hackingtosh and pirates bay encourages people to become thieves and robbers digitalitically (sorry for ma ingleesh :D). People should aware that downloading and using pirated multimedia stuff and software are just like as breaking into someone's house.
If we are not afford for Armanis and Guccis, we wont break into their show rooms.
If we are not afford to pay Steve Jobs, there is an another person - Mark Shuttleworth. He is giving free state-of-art OS called Ubuntu. You can make even better than Mac OS X. Try that one. Dont break the law please. :)
Whoah, you're full of it.
Also, an EULA is not a law, just FYI.
@L
No, it's a contract that you accept when you click "I accept" - breaking your contract means you can be subjected to any number of laws as may be specified in the EULA. So while not a law in itself, the EULA is still a legal entity - if you violate it, and you are sued for doing so, then you may challenge the validity of the EULA in a court of law.
Back here in Europe, if you buy it, it's yours, you can do whatever you feel like with what you just bought, regardless of any freaking EULA that normaly even goes against our laws. So, fuck Apple, I'm building a hackintosh just because I can.
@iJay
Thanks dad, now get out of my room and leave me alone.
@Johanu: +1 for European consumer freedom.
I wish Apple would embrace the OSx86 community.
Okay, so they lose out on money from hardwaew, but on the other hand, if you're going to spend hundreds of hours and all the computer skills you have getting OSX to work on a Dell, you're either a fan of OSX, or very dedicated to hacking.
If Apple were to emrace the community, they'd gain a thousands-strong legion of bug-chasers and developers, all prepared to work for free, that will enevitably improve OSX.
That does sound nice, but if the release of SL is any indication, Apple doesn't care about bugs in their OS.
Woah! Apple is cutting support for a processor it doesn't use and has said it will not use? Outrageous. Might as well note Apple will not support ION either. Hey look it's called a HACKintosh because it's a set of cobbled together drivers for hardware that Apple doesn't support.
Pretty sure that's a bad idea, considering the Ion uses the same GeForce 9400M on-board GPU as the 2009 MacBook and MacBook Air.
Good luck Apple, if you can't stop hackintoshing how will you stop Atoms ? someone will just re-write the relevent part or those with Atoms will just stick with 10.6.1.
i think they are reducing OS market share (and i think they don't pay much attention to OS revenue) ,Although MSFT is mainly a software Company they allowed Boot camp on the enemy not just that ,they made Office for Mac ,i think Apple don't see itself as "software" Maker ,pitty Itunes for PC
Bummer. I guess I'll be stuck at 10.6.1 forever on this machine. Oh well, it works a heck of a lot better than Windows (any version).
Apple. Are you there? America can't afford your $1000 entry level MacBook.
Windows 7 will make the pc buying descision easier.
I'd have to imagine most hackintosh users would switch to ubuntu before going to windows 7
they don't care about america that buys a $300 netbook only to run Snow Leopard. They don't care if you actually buy Snow Leopard (which most probably don't and the ones that did got the $29 version), they make very little to no money off their OS, they aren't Microsoft, their business is selling hardware.
Judging by their earnings the last several quarters, America can afford Apple hardware. But you're right, a company should not be allowed to make money. They should be forced to sell everything at 1% margin so you can afford it.
"Apple. Are you there? America can't afford your $1000 entry level MacBook."
Oh yes, the writing is certainly on the wall with that. No one can afford their machines ;)
Oct 19th, 2009
"Apple’s Best Quarter Ever: Profits Up 47%, Revenue Up 25%"
http://www.thedomains.com/2009/10/19/apples-best-quarter-ever-profits-up-47-revenue-up-25/
I doubt the Atom could run SL.
And you're clearly uninformed. Next?
I''m running it on my eee 900a with 1 GB RAM right now, it runs smoother than Ubuntu, XP, or Leopard ever did.
*sigh*
No one has even noticed that this appeared on a random blog, and is the ONLY POST on said blog. There is no mention of this in the usual hackintosh places (Netkas and others), so I'm inclined to believe it's bullshit.
There have been changes in the kernel design lately (especially with power management), and these have made hackintoshes slightly more difficult, but nothing that couldn't be worked around (see sleepenabler.kext).
Non-story until it's out and someone with brains confirms it and it's not some accidental bug - because you know, Apple is NOT testing things on hackintoshes to make sure they work. That whole "unsupported" thing, you know?
If we spread Apple too thin they'll lose the wars on every front. Let's hack today's mach_kernel and make it all good.
good. The Ion sucks.
Thats fine, I'm happy that apple are turning into real assholes more and more. Its pushing people towards linux and android phones
Wait, I must be missing something here. The Atom is ABI-compatible with the Core 2 Duo; it has identical exposed features as far as the OS is concerned. It also uses the same chipset as some of Apple's existing products (the 945GM).
I don't see how the Atom would require (or could even feature) any specific "support" to be removed.
In other words, it sounds to me like Apple is blocking, not disabling.
Fine by me. I don't need Apple's crap on my netbook. Windows 7 and ubuntu (Eventually to be replaced by Chrome OS.) is all I need. The people putting OS X on a netbook boils down to three categories:
-geeks that want to say they did it.
-people who have not dealt with the headaches of OS X and getting it to do what YOU want so they think that putting it on their netbook would be the greatest thing since the introduction to the wheel.
-addicted iTards who want a netbook sized device that Apple does not offer. (Sorry but the air is not a subnotebook, nor is it a netbook. Nor is it priced anything near the realm of a netbook)
Thankfully I only fall into the first category. I loaded leopard from my legit DVD, tried it out for a bit. Realized that I'm thankfully over OS X, and put the RC of Win7 on it. Been there, done that, moving on to greater things. I consider a locked down OS X to be a good thing, just like I consider the fact that the iPhone is only available on ATT to also be a good thing. It keeps the rest of the carriers from being contaminated by pretentious snobs who are more interested in bling then what you can do with your system. Its very much like AOL idiot users of the 90's vs. the rest of the internet. It was a good thing that they only had AOL, kept them segrigated from the rest of the net...until AOL started allowing real browser access...then it all went to hell.
Let it rot on the ATT network for all I care and let OS X be forever tied to Apple hardware. Hell encrypt the sucker. Make it tighter so fewer people can run OS X on other hardware. Make it so you need to drop a grand to play on Apple's OS.
I think Apple started to pave the ground for its own netbook, aka "iTablet", whatever it will be name. No more hackintosh, but only macintosh.
Today: Apple shuts down hackintosh completely.
Tomorrow: Apple release new Netbook Tablet (iBook w/no keyboard, all touch) for $699.
I have a MSI U90( 9 inch version of U100) which is running Leopard, not the snowy one though.
sorry to hear that future SL won't support atom any more, I was hoping one day I can get it on ION platform( Acer Revo alike) :(