Apple ’s fresh partnership with Intel will have far - arrive at effects , not just for the two companies , but throughout the technical school manufacture , an Intel spokesman tell MacCentral .
“ The moral force will be different in the marketplace overall , ” say Chuck Mulloy , Intel ’s incorporated spokesman . “ Apple has pushed the envelope historically — that contender to push is good for consumers and undecomposed for the grocery in general . It will reinvigorate the amount of invention out there . ”
Apple has taken the lead in push technology such as USB , FireWire , and wireless networking — Intel says that character of institution is what it strives for as well .
“ It ’s a very skillful paroxysm , ” Mulloy said . “ Apple has a track disk of being the most groundbreaking PC company , and we conceive we are very innovative as a semiconductor gadget manufacturer . ”
64 - bit chipsets , 90 - nanometer technology and Dual Core
One of those introduction pushed by Apple is 64 - bit processing , a technology that lease you address more memory than with standard 32 - bit chips . In promoting Mac OS cristal Apple has bluster the benefit of 64 - scrap processing for handling heavy - duty tasks .
complement that , Intel has 64 - bit chips in its arsenal . The Pentium D Dual Core — a derivative of the Pentium 4 — and the Itanium both offer 64 - bit capableness , according to Intel . The company would not say whether Apple would utilise one of these french fries or a whole different model .
Intel currently use a 90 - nanometer summons in manufacturing its chips . In fact , Mulloy said that Intel has “ more 90 - nanometer chips than anyone else . ” That ’s likely of pastime to Apple , which a twelvemonth ago , quote out of the blue challenges of act to a 90 - nanometer physical process in explain why a promised 3GHz Power Mac G5 had n’t transport .
Lowering the nanometer engineering science gives chip designers the option of nominate chips smaller or keeping a processor the same sizing and summate functionality . The job with just further clock speed alone , Mulloy explained , is that it gets to the point where you ca n’t cool it . Indeed , Intel built its Pentium M using the 90 - nanometer process so that it could have the choice of boosting the clock speed or adding more functionality and lowering tycoon usance .
This is where Intel also adopted Dual Core . With a Dual Core Saratoga chip , you basically use two microprocessors on the same man of silicon . A single Dual Core chip expect to the operating organisation like it ’s two buffalo chip , give you greater performance . While there is n’t a 2x boost using Dual Core , you still get a meaning boost — of course , the same principle applies when using multi - core designs , although there is a point of diminishing getting even on the carrying out .
While semiconductor manufacturers strain to handle the burden of using the 90 - nm technology to grow chips , Intel is already looking far beyond that threshold . Currently , Intel has 90 - nanometer manufacturing installation in Oregon , New Mexico and Ireland . However , by the terminal of 2005 , the company will already move on to the next manufacture process .
afterward this class , Intel will start up a reborn mill in Arizona that will churn out cow chip base on a 65 - nanometer outgrowth . Another flora in Ireland will follow next twelvemonth manufacture the same chipsets .
“ As the great unwashed just start roll out 90 - nm , we are about to do 65 [ nanometer ] , ” Mulloy say .
Intel is everywhere
Those plants in Oregon , New Mexico , Arizona , and Ireland only provide a glimpse at Intel ’s manufacturing reach . Mulloy said that Intel has 14 wafer fabrication facilities around the world and will spend $ 5.5 billion in capital and unaired to $ 5 billion in Research and Development this yr alone .
“ We have more manufacturing capacity dedicate to microprocessors and chipsets than anyone else in the man , ” Mulloy enunciate .
While the company attained much of its fame — and much of its tax revenue — from the PC business , when it issue forth down to its mere component , Intel is not just about PC chipsets .
“ We are a manufacturer and have been since we were constitute , ” Mulloy say . “ We make semiconductor components of the gamey character and higher bulk than anyone else and we can wrench that manufacturing machine in any direction we need to very apace compared to others . ”
In January of 2005 Intel fail through a restructuring that affected up to 50 percent of the company ’s employees as they moved to a chopine organisational model . This put many similar technology groups under the same umbrella , allowing them to share relevant technology easier than was antecedently possible .
presently Intel is broken up in five main groups : Digital Enterprise group , for server , desktops and wireless products ; Digital Home , an emerging group that center on taking devices and making them work together in the home ; Mobility Group , which focalise on all things wireless , including personal digital assistant , cell phones and computers ; and Digital Health , focusing on technology to ameliorate healthcare .
“ If you have a cell phone , there is a better than 70 percent chance you have Intel Flash retentivity in it . If you have one of the newer organizer , there is likely a 75 to 80 percentage opportunity that there is an Intel CPU in it . And Intel components are even in the ABS system on your railway car , ” Mulloy say . “ We are the world ’s largest semiconductor maker — we have a reputation based on microprocessor , but we have a very wide portfolio and we are continuing to advertize that . ”
Where does Apple outfit ?
Intel has been talking to Apple for many years , trying to get the computing equipment - maker to swop from a PowerPC processor to an Intel - establish model . Finally deliver the goods Apple ’s business has been a satisfying acquisition for Intel
“ It ’s always dear to get a new client , but it ’s even good to get one that you have been working on for this many years , ” Mulloy allege .
Intel typically partners with its OEMs like Dell to help in their advertising efforts . While helping the OEM , the advert also market the Intel processor . Mulloy would n’t comment on whether the Apple / Intel deal announced this week would let in any kind of co - marketing plan .
“ Apple has one of the top brand name in the earth , and I ’m sure they will do what they need to be consistent with what people have come to expect from them , ” Mulloy added . “ The keystone for us is to give them what they postulate for them to be successful . What they do with respect to selling is buy the farm to be their call — far be it for us to tell apart them how to manage their brand name . ”
Historically , Apple is one of the most closelipped companies in the technology market place , pick out to make a fully grown splash when Steve Jobs takes the stage during one of his keynote speeches , rather than pre - announce products . Intel , on the other hired man , choose for a less closelipped marketing overture . Intel plans to continue doing business the way it always has .
“ We will commercialise our product the direction we usually do , ” Mulloy tell . “ Apple , like any other OEM , will prefer the parts the want to use and then it ’s completely up to them how they will roll their products out . ”
When Intel does a launch , it transport the processors in mass and ensure companies are able to send products base on those mainframe like a shot . In some cause , an OEM may not opt to embark products based on a certain chip , Mulloy said , but Intel earn sure everyone has the choice .
“ set up for us in microprocessors is that we send in volume . How that act with Apple is up to Apple , ” he said . ” They can announce it or not foretell it ; we just make indisputable it ’s available to everybody . ”
Update : Corrected entropy on how the operating systems see a Dual Core chip . 8:56 pm ET
