Apple Unveils G5 Computer, Doubles Power
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Apple Computer Inc. on Monday introduced new Macintosh computers that use its “G5” microprocessor, a design by International Business MachinesCorp. that can handle twice as much data at once as traditional PC microchips.
The Cupertino, California-based computer maker also said at a developer conference in San Francisco that its new online music store had sold 5 million song downloads since its inception eight weeks ago, or an average of 625,000 songs a week or more than 89,000 songs a day.
“It looks like it’s slowing a little bit, but that was expected,” said Rob Enderle, an analyst with market research firm Forrester, of the rate at which online songs are selling.
Apple plans in August to begin selling three models of desktop computers based on the G5 chip, which can manage 64 bits of data at once, compared to 32 bits for traditional home computers.
Chief Executive Steve Jobs told the developers that with the new Macintoshes Apple has topped its main competition, Microsoft Corp. Windows-based PCs, which use chipsfrom Intel Corp. and AMD that run at faster rates — measured in gigahertz — than those in current Macintoshes.
“We can clearly say we’ve caught up with the PC and passed them,” said Jobs, dressed in his trademark outfit of jeans and a black shirt, to applause from an audience of 3,800.
With an August launch, Apple will become the first to introduce a personal computer with a 64-bit chip, just beating to the punch Advanced Micro Devices Inc., which plans in September to launch a 64-bit chip for desktop PCs running Windows.
There has been speculation that Apple would eventually use Intel chips and the announcement on Monday does not chance that, Enderle said, adding that he still expected Apple to announce next year it will use Intel chips.
“I think chances are like 8 out of 10 they will go with Intel,” Enderle said. “I know that he’s (Jobs) been over at Intel an awful lot and Intel has been over with him quite a bit.”
A spokesman for Apple declined to comment.
Whether consumers will embrace the new technology quickly is an open question, however, since to date only business machines meant to manage networks have used similar chips.
Most advances in home PC chips so far have simply made them run faster, but a 64-bit chip is fundamentally different. To take full advantage of the new chip design, software must be rewritten, although the Apple/IBM and AMD chips are built to be compatible with older software, as well.
Designing a microprocessor is a long, complex process and manufacturing them is expensive. Additionally, Jobs said that G5 chips running at 3.0 gigahertz are due out within the next 12 months.
Chip companies publish road maps, typically measured in years, detailing how long a certain chip will be produced and when successive iterations of a chip will be available.
Phil Schiller, head of worldwide marketing for Apple, declined to comment on the specific length of the road map between Apple and IBM, except to say: “There’s a long road map here. This is the beginning of many things to come.”
The Power Mac G5 starts at $1,999, with a 1.6 gigahertz PowerPC G5. The Power Mac G5 with a 1.8 gigahertz processor starts at $2,399, while the top of the line Power Mac G5, with dual 2.0 gigahertz processors, starts at $2,999, Apple said.
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