Speculation on the Intel switch, video iPods, and an iTunes Movie Store
An Ars Technica column, with what is claimed to be insider information, says that Apple's switch to Intel processors was a result more of Apple's high-handedness with IBM, and IBM's refusal to continue to acquiesce, than of the performance and roadmap issues stated publicly by Apple and disputed by IBM. Other purported reasons are an Apple interest in becoming an all-Intel shop, using Intel chips not only for Macintoshes but for iPods, and the possibility that Apple would use Intel's XScale technology, designed for high performance with low power consumption, for a video iPod.
Technology columnist Robert Cringely comments on the Ars article and adds his own speculation that Apple timed its Intel announcement for the benefit of Intel, purposely preceding IBM's announcement of new dual core PowerPC 970MP processor.
Cringely also theorizes that Intel's investment in the ClickStar movie download site is now part of a coordinated plan with Apple to create an iTunes Movie Store. Cringely agrees with Ars that a video iPod is in the works, with the consolidation of the iPod photo into the standard iPod as a sign of that effort.
Video iPods have long been rumored, and recent events, such as the inclusion of videos in the iTunes Music Store and statements by Steve Jobs in May contribute to those rumors, especially in comparison with earlier statements by Steve Jobs.
The iPod and what it represents - an elegant, intuitively useful, and widely appealing expression of everything that Moore's Curves promise but so rarely deliver - is the "Macintosh" of the new millennium. There was no need to put on a dog and pony show about how IBM has dropped the performance ball, when what Jobs is really doing is shifting the focus of Apple from a PC-era "performance" paradigm to a post-PC-era "features and functionality" paradigm.
Technology columnist Robert Cringely comments on the Ars article and adds his own speculation that Apple timed its Intel announcement for the benefit of Intel, purposely preceding IBM's announcement of new dual core PowerPC 970MP processor.
Cringely also theorizes that Intel's investment in the ClickStar movie download site is now part of a coordinated plan with Apple to create an iTunes Movie Store. Cringely agrees with Ars that a video iPod is in the works, with the consolidation of the iPod photo into the standard iPod as a sign of that effort.
Video iPods have long been rumored, and recent events, such as the inclusion of videos in the iTunes Music Store and statements by Steve Jobs in May contribute to those rumors, especially in comparison with earlier statements by Steve Jobs.
Top Rated Comments
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86 months ago
a vidPod would be pretty cool, but I still don't see the usefulness... :confused:
86 months ago
the video iPod is inevitable. The switch to intel is just another step towards the end product.... maybe christmas..?
86 months ago
sounds too extreme to me. They did the switch because of the pod'? I don't believe it. I would like a video ipod though...
As long as it is released I'll be happy.
As long as it is released I'll be happy.
86 months ago
Anyone remember that PC that fit on your belt and linked to glasses with a little projector. I see Apple making portabilty just that personal.
86 months ago
Wow! Some part of the article sounds really promising, awesome.
I'm surprised... just like I was when Steve talked about 3GHz "in one year" ;) :D ... let the fire start!! :)
I'm surprised... just like I was when Steve talked about 3GHz "in one year" ;) :D ... let the fire start!! :)
86 months ago
Sounds cool to me I just want to know when it comes out, maybe I'll get a Shuffle to hold me off till then.
86 months ago
Personally, I find it hard to believe that Apple plotted with Intel to give IBM a PR kick in the pants, as Cringely says, while Apple still plans to do business as usual with IBM for another year or two.
86 months ago
This is 4 days old. And I wasn't too impressed or excited back then, either...
There was even a repost, later that same day.
There was even a repost, later that same day.
86 months ago
The evidence pointing to a video iPod is solid (of course, it's bound to happen eventually), but I only half agree with the article on the logic behind the Intel switch.
I do think there's some merit to the features vs performance theory for a couple of reasons, though:
1) Regardless of the architecture, processor speed just isn't as important to most users as it used to be. Moore's law slowdown aside, the average user just doesn't do enough to warrant anything more powerful than what was available several years ago, and doesn't care all that much. It's the other areas where the Mac has its biggest selling points.
2) IBM may or may not be behind Intel, but they're certainly not way ahead, and there's no realistic promise that they will be. Looked at from that perspective, it's a whole lot easier to sell a computer that--power wise--is just like everybody else's instead of having to start by proving the equality of your alternate architecture (and hoping that it remains competitive) before you even start selling the MacOS.
Were the PPC significantly ahead of the competition, the case would be different--"hey, look, we're WAY better!"--but it isn't, so from a marketing perspective you might as well be exactly the same instead of similar but different.
(As someone else already pointed out, though, this is relatively "old news".)
I do think there's some merit to the features vs performance theory for a couple of reasons, though:
1) Regardless of the architecture, processor speed just isn't as important to most users as it used to be. Moore's law slowdown aside, the average user just doesn't do enough to warrant anything more powerful than what was available several years ago, and doesn't care all that much. It's the other areas where the Mac has its biggest selling points.
2) IBM may or may not be behind Intel, but they're certainly not way ahead, and there's no realistic promise that they will be. Looked at from that perspective, it's a whole lot easier to sell a computer that--power wise--is just like everybody else's instead of having to start by proving the equality of your alternate architecture (and hoping that it remains competitive) before you even start selling the MacOS.
Were the PPC significantly ahead of the competition, the case would be different--"hey, look, we're WAY better!"--but it isn't, so from a marketing perspective you might as well be exactly the same instead of similar but different.
(As someone else already pointed out, though, this is relatively "old news".)
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