Apple considering Marklar?
MacUser.co.uk posts a story about Apple's secret Marklar (OS X on x86) project. According to their sources, they are also claiming that Apple is considering marketing Marklar -- as an independant product:
...or, alternatively, to be triggered for release if Microsoft and Apple relations sour.
If this information is indeed accurate, this also provides more validation to the RoadMap article which also detailed other products that are in the works.
- US sources close to the project indicated that the company was actively considering selling Marklar as a retail product, effectively allowing users to replace Windows with OS X. Apple is contemplating the move because it sees an opportunity to win market share from Windows when Microsoft introduces Palladium, a version of its operating system that implements digital rights management.
...or, alternatively, to be triggered for release if Microsoft and Apple relations sour.
Information on Marklar was first leaked by this eWeek article which describes it as an "fall-back plan" should the PowerPC fail to deliver.
Later unconfirmable information came in the form of this detailed article on Apple's Past and Future roadmap... which shares many similarities to this Macuser's report:
- Contrary to circulating rumors, [Marklar] is not meant to be a Power PC exit strategy. Rather, it is intended to be offered to X86 users when Apple sees market conditions being fit for it. What it means by this is regarding Intel's Lagrande technology, and Microsoft's Palladium technology. Apple intends on releasing OS X on Intel, when consumer dissatisfaction falls to an all time low for Microsoft when users become restricted to what they can do on their PC's due to Lagrande and Palladium. Likely it will be released in the event that Microsoft chooses to stop developing for the Mac platform altogether.
If this information is indeed accurate, this also provides more validation to the RoadMap article which also detailed other products that are in the works.
Top Rated Comments
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120 months ago
woah, if this would be the biggest move Apple has ever made if they go through with it, just imagine......but would pc users buy it, I mean if people arent willing to buy a macintosh would they purchase just the os....im thinking yes.
120 months ago
This honestly seems like the first valid possibility for Marklar to see the light of day that I've heard of. This should be interesting to watch.
120 months ago
Here we go again!
I just wonder if this rumor has enough life left in it to fill another thread...........
I'll just sit back relax and enjoy reading everyone "duking" it out..........again.:rolleyes:
I just wonder if this rumor has enough life left in it to fill another thread...........
I'll just sit back relax and enjoy reading everyone "duking" it out..........again.:rolleyes:
120 months ago
i think that this would only be a good idea if people were truely sick and tired of microshaft and its practices.
if people are not ready to switch, the only people running marklar would be previous apple users who wanted a "faster" computer for less than an apple branded computer.
that would obviously hurt apple a ton since it would lose sales to dell...
not to mention, if apple sells os x for macs for $129, what would it cost for PC's? there is a ton more work required to get ALL those standard-less systems working correctly under os x. imagine the thousands of drivers that would need to be written...
if people are not ready to switch, the only people running marklar would be previous apple users who wanted a "faster" computer for less than an apple branded computer.
that would obviously hurt apple a ton since it would lose sales to dell...
not to mention, if apple sells os x for macs for $129, what would it cost for PC's? there is a ton more work required to get ALL those standard-less systems working correctly under os x. imagine the thousands of drivers that would need to be written...
120 months ago
Originally posted by pgwalsh
How much sofware would there be for Marklar on X86? 0
Exactly. The only way I see this really working is if Apple sets up OEM deals where the hardware is sold with all the app software you need and is targeted at the home market. This would have to include the iApps and Appleworks. The hardware kit would have to be tightly controlled due to lack of drivers. I can't see this being sold as a stand alone product. I would certainly be ticked off if I bought it, installed it on my existing system, and found out most of my hardware did not work.
Even then, they would have to sell a huge volume to make up for the profits lost when the consumer hardware sales get cannibalized.
120 months ago
Hey Mudbug,
I just noticed that you live in Shreveport, LA. I grew up in Bossier.
Small world huh.
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I think it would be neat to have OSX on x86 but I dont think it makes sense for Apple.
I think Apple stands to gain more ground by having a faster processor in all their products and a little better price scale in place for when Microsoft and Intel introduce their new products.
By then the Linux distros will have a better shot at the PC market than Marklar.
Just my opinion!!
I just noticed that you live in Shreveport, LA. I grew up in Bossier.
Small world huh.
___________________________________________________
I think it would be neat to have OSX on x86 but I dont think it makes sense for Apple.
I think Apple stands to gain more ground by having a faster processor in all their products and a little better price scale in place for when Microsoft and Intel introduce their new products.
By then the Linux distros will have a better shot at the PC market than Marklar.
Just my opinion!!
120 months ago
Originally posted by gbojim
The only way I see this really working is if Apple sets up OEM deals where the hardware is sold with all the app software you need and is targeted at the home market.
which could be very hard to do if apple goes looking for help from microsoft 'owned' OEMs
I wonder how developers would approach this... R&D for three platforms would be pretty expensive (e.g. photoshop windows, os X, os X x86...), so apple must have some plans for what to do there... it wouldn't make sense to make a launch and have basically zero software
120 months ago
I think that when Palladium is introduced Microsoft hating will be at an all time high. If MacOS X for x86 is introduced I believe that it will begin to make a serious dent in Windows 2004 (or Longhorn or whatever) sales.
Target Audiences:
-Some Linux users looking for a better interface
-People who enjoy tweaking hardware and would rather have Linux/OS X dual boot then Windows w/ Palladium
-All those people who like OS X but don't have the money for Apple hardware
-Graphics designers who prefer the Mac but need high powered Xeon workstations
Target Audiences:
-Some Linux users looking for a better interface
-People who enjoy tweaking hardware and would rather have Linux/OS X dual boot then Windows w/ Palladium
-All those people who like OS X but don't have the money for Apple hardware
-Graphics designers who prefer the Mac but need high powered Xeon workstations
120 months ago
I reckon Apple could convince Sony to reinstall OSX x86 for all their computers. Sony is already going to install Sun's Office instead of Microsoft office for most computers sold in Europe and their PDA's use Palm instead of PocketPC.
I think they'd be happy to ditch Microsoft all together.
I think they'd be happy to ditch Microsoft all together.
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