CNet provides an interview with Michel Mayer, CEO of Freescale Semiconductor. Freescale is the Motorola spin-off which provides Apple with the PowerPC G4 processor used in the Mac Mini and current Mac Laptops. Apple has a contract with Freescale to fulfill G4 processor orders until as late as Dec 31, 2008 if required. (Apple is under no obligation to continue purchasing them through that time, however.)
The interview provides some confirmation of Apple's earlier consideration to move to Intel.
In my previous job, I ran IBM's semiconductor business. So I've seen both sides of the Apple story, because I sold the G5 to Steve (Jobs) the first time he wanted to move to Intel.
This information was previously revealed in an internal IBM newsletter about Apple's potential switch to Intel at that time. Instead, Apple went forward with the PowerPC 970 (G5).
Meanwhile, Mayer goes on to say that IBM's focus has shifted to consoles:
IBM decided not to take the G5 into the laptop and decided to really focus its chip business on the game consoles.
Thursday August 20, 2026 8:00 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern.
As usual, the iPhone event is expected to take place in the first half of September.
Labor Day falls on September 7 this year. The last time the holiday was on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to...
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern.
As usual, the event is expected to take place in the first half of September.
Labor Day falls on September 7 this year. The last time the holiday was on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the...
Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:02 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple on Monday seeded the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate, and the upcoming software update has seemingly leaked more than 10 new Apple products.
macOS 26.7's code contains references to AirPods with infrared cameras for Visual Intelligence, the long-rumored foldable iPhone, an all-new Apple smart home hub, the first-ever MacBook and iPad mini models with OLED displays, an updated Siri Remote...
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
