Editorial: Apple on Intel

By WWDC 2007, Apple will be switching to Intel. What does this mean?

It depends on who you are. If you are a mobile user, like myself, it means there will be no Powerbook G5. The next Powerbook will be running on an Intel chip.

In fact, it most likely means that there will be no new Apple hardware until there is some sort of Intel-powered Apple product. I cannot imagine Apple managing to sell many machines running a PowerPC chip after they just ditched the platform so openly and quickly. So if you've been waiting for the WWDC before buying that new Mac, you might have to wait quite a bit longer.

This probably also means that Macworld Boston *could* be the place where some new hardware running on Intel will first emerge. I'm guessing that we'll see new Intel-based hardware trickle in sooner rather than later. Otherwise, Apple's sales are going to bottom out.

Jason thinks that Apple's next move will be to give the OS away for free, get everyone hooked, and then start charging. This is an interesting theory, as it is the same bait and switch they pulled with iLife and iTools become .Mac.

I don't think it will happen, though. I could be totally wrong.  I was about today's news.

I could see Apple now selling the OS to any machine. Steve said, "The soul of a Mac is its operating system". If that's true, then what is to stop a marketing movement called "Make Your PC a Mac: Give it some soul."

It also means that that "soul" will most likely be shackled by DRM.... Don't get me started.

These are just some random thoughts I am having as I reel in shock at this news. What do you think?