Yes Steve Jobs promised 3GHz for June 2004 and we got “only” 2.5GHz… but in between, IBM was having major problem with mass production of the PPC970FX (due to a “thermal pad” which was not supporting the rather high level of heat generated by the 960Fx when clocked over 2.3GHz).
But as I mention in my article I am convinced that we will see dualcore processor in top end Apple’s hardware before the end of the year.

Regarding OSX on x86 platform, it does exist. This project probably originated at the time when Apple was stacked with Motorola and its incapacity to improve clock speed as well as production rate of the G4 processor. When looking for a new processor, Apple had to envisage x86 processor as a solution, probably AMD processor. So, OSX was ported to x86 platform, at least to last recon for Panther version. It is currently not known if the project is still on-going, and a x86-compatible version of Tiger in preparation…

Regarding the processor for Apple’s computers, if IBM can deliver multicore 970 processor, then we should have it running in the next PMG5 revision… however, dualcore 970 aka 970MP will only be a transition to a more expected Power5-derived PPC which is still to be revealed. But it is an issue only for high end PMG5… the future 970GX (1MB of L2 cache) will find its way into the iMacG5 then into the Mac mini when the iMac G5 will receive a lower clocked 970MP. It is clear that OSX is definitely better regarding multicore processing management than x86 platform with WinXP… so far dual core AMD or Intel processor will not really bring significant improvement in term of performance till specific applications are developed. WinXP itself does not really speed up with a multicore processor. (I am not talking about server and Linux)

Apple has been generating its profit mostly from its hardware business…but recently, this has changed a lot, and software and iPod/iTMS are now contributing over 30% to Apple quarter financial results. iPod halo effect is starting to show up, such as in UK where Mac hardware are reported to be +20% up fro the last quarter. This could help Apple to generate higher profit and at the same time keep up with its current proposal of “cheaper Macs for all”.

To conclude, Apple will only switch to x86 processors if IBM deeply failed to deliver processors that will meet Apple’s requests. And with IBM scaling up production for both Xbox360 and PS3 processors, it is clear that PPC are also evolving? I think what will be announced at the WWDC and at Paris AppleExpo will give us a quite good idea of Apple’s future regarding processors and hardware.

As a young Macintosh-addict I have a few questions about the processor Apple uses in its machines. At forums all around the internet I’ve read that the PowerPc-architecture is a cooperation between Apple, IBM and Motorola (AIM). The thing that’s also mentioned many times is that it’s not going very well with the processors because of the fact that Steve Jobs said in 2003 that the 3Ghz barrier would be reached. But today, 2005, we’re still at 2,7Ghz.
They also say that Apple may change over to the x86 platform, the Intel/AMD processors.

Because of the lack of knowledge about the Macintosh in the past, I would like to know what you think about the processors Apple will use in the future. Are they going to use a specific processor Macintosh-only [either a total new idea or a renewal of the current existing processor (chip) - G5] or will they change to Intel?
What will be the consequences for the OSX when they (Apple) change? The multi-tasking which is used in the G-series, can it also be implemented in the x86 processors? I think that it is a very good system. Will Apple ever swith to the x86 processor platform? But when they ever change to it, will this mean that OSX will be subject of virus attacts or will the unix upon it is based not be changed? Then Apple would also sell its operating system without the hardware to others like Dell,… or not?

With the dual-core processors recently being introduced and the cell-architecture around the corner I think there’s a bright future for processors. But will all the pc assembliers like Dell, HP, Apple adopt those technologies?
And what about the far future? What about the processor after the dual-core processor, will they try to continue their work and add more than 2 cores on one processor? In my opinion there has to be an end at how fast and how functional processors can run, or not?

I’m very interested into the future of the processor Apple will use.

Hoping for an answer, thank you very much