Mac OS X 10.6 to Drop PowerPC Support?
As we approach the release of Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), Appleinsider suggests that this may be the last major Mac OS revision that supports the PowerPC architecture.
Cited as speculation, Apple may not yet have made a decision on this matter. Apple has made no announcements about Mac OS X 10.6. Based on the most recent Mac OS development cycles, Mac OS X 10.6 would not likely ship until 2009.
Looking ahead, those people familiar with Apple development cycles speculate that Mac OS X 10.6 will exclude support for PowerPC-based Macs entirely, requiring that users have one of the company's Intel-based systems which first began making their way to market in early 2006.
Cited as speculation, Apple may not yet have made a decision on this matter. Apple has made no announcements about Mac OS X 10.6. Based on the most recent Mac OS development cycles, Mac OS X 10.6 would not likely ship until 2009.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)57 months ago
OSX will have to be multi processor to keep support for the upcoming iPods and iPhones which run (quite well) on Samsung ARM processors
57 months ago
I hope this is not the case. I am buying a MacBook Pro soon, but I would still like to be able to use my current iMac with the most recent OS. One of the things I really like about Apple is that they make things compatible with the new stuff and the old stuff. I think they need to continue supporting the PowerPC for at least a few more years.
57 months ago
It seems like a logical step to me. If Apple releases 10.6 in 2 years then the last Power PC computers will be 4 years old.
57 months ago
Makes sense to me as well! Intel is the newest and greatest, Power PC is in the past. So sorry if you can't upgrade. What's 10.6 going to be called? Lion? :D :apple:
57 months ago
Well, if they're dropping the support for 800 MHz PPC systems, what would the cutoff be in late 2009 for 10.6? 1.5 GHz? If so, nearly all PPC portables would be out of spec.
Maybe that'd be fine, but I'd think G5 iMacs and Power Macs would still be good enough. Until Apple says something definite, I'm betting 10.6 will be universal, but with specs that preclude all but the most powerful PPC systems.
Maybe that'd be fine, but I'd think G5 iMacs and Power Macs would still be good enough. Until Apple says something definite, I'm betting 10.6 will be universal, but with specs that preclude all but the most powerful PPC systems.
57 months ago
OSX will have to be multi processor to keep support for the upcoming iPods and iPhones which run (quite well) on Samsung ARM processors
The mobile version of OS X for iPhones/iPods has nothing to do with this.[ Read All Comments ]

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