Apple set to go Intel? (Again)

SmartHouse.com.au revives one of the oldest Apple rumors by claiming that "Apple is set to announce an Intel based PC that will run on an Apple operating system."

The first system is expected to be shown at MacWorld San Francisco 2004, with major developers, such as Adobe, already aware of the plan.

The article touches on the issue that all software needs to recompiled, but expects a gradual adoption over time, with an eventuality that "all Macs would be Intel."

Rumors of Apple adopting the Intel/x86 platform have been ongoing for years, and has had some historical basis in reality. In the early 90's a secret project at Apple known as Star Trek ported Mac OS to Intel-based hardware. While an intial technical success, the project was scrapped after running into political problems.

More recently, there have been rumors of an x86 based version of Mac OS X, codenamed Marklar. This version of Mac OS X is said to provide a fall-back plan for Apple. These rumors, however, preceded the introduction of the PowerPC 970 (G5) PowerMacs. A successful adoption of the 970 PowerPC would presumably influence any plans for an x86-based Macintosh.

Due to the frequent recurrance of this rumor as well as being from a rumor source of unknown reliability, it is felt to be unlikely.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the time,...
apple unsold web store

Retail Accessories Apple Won't Sell You Now Available via New Site

Friday January 30, 2026 8:46 am PST by
A newly surfaced resale operation is seemingly offering Apple Store–exclusive display accessories to the public for the first time, potentially giving consumers access to Apple-designed hardware that the company has historically kept confined to its retail environments. Apple designs a range of premium MagSafe charging stands, display trays, and hardware systems exclusively for displays in ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...

Top Rated Comments

arn Avatar
293 months ago
Yes... old news...

New source though. But of unknown reliability.

arn
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)