Konrad, and ALL, article...Apple caving to Wintel Dominance...
Sunday January 26 1:24 PM EST
Apple mulls closer Intel, Microsoft ties-paper
NEW YORK, Jan 26 (Reuter) - Struggling computer maker Apple Computer Inc is considering closer ties with semiconductor power Intel Corp and software giant Microsoft Corp , The New York Times reported Sunday.
Company executives told the newspaper Apple was weighing making a line of machines that run on Intel microprocessors. Apple computers now run on microprocessors made by Motorola Inc.
In addition, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates visited Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., in mid-January. The hourlong session was attended by Gates; Apple Chairman Gilbert Amelio; Steven Jobs, Apple's co-founder and head of NeXT Software Corp,., recently bought by Apple; and Ellen Hancock, Apple's chief technology officer.
The meeting covered other matters, but the subject of closer cooperation in the years ahead was on the agenda.
The Times, quoting people familiar with the meeting, said one item was a discussion of the possibility of Apple's licensing Windows NT, Microsoft's industrial-strength operating system for the corporate market.
Amelio was not directly quoted about possible alliances with Microsoft and Intel, Apple's longtime rivals.
However, he told the Times that within two or three years, "I would like to have the most compatible personal computer in the industry, able to run more software than anyone -- period."
Amelio added, "We're not in a world by ourselves. We have to be able to support the commodity technology standard."
Personal computers with Intel microprocessors and running on Microsoft operating systems overwhelmingly dominate the worldwide PC market.
Apple has been hit by declining sales, mounting losses and a falling stock price. The company on Jan 15 reported a loss of $120 million, or 96 cents a share, in its fiscal first quarter.
Apple predicts a return to profitability in the fiscal fourth quarter, which ends in September 1997.
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Maybe in 3 years another 6% of world PC market fall under Wintel's allegiance.
Regards, Michael |
