SAN FRANCISCO - Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs made a huge splash at the annual Macworld Expo when he dramatically unveiled the Intel-Mac partnership months ahead of schedule. Jobs also announced that the sales of the iPod digital music players had propelled its total sales by two thirds in the last quarter of the year. They brought in about $5.7 billion in sales in the holiday season last year.
The iMac release dominated Jobs' speech yesterday and it was a dramatic event with Intel CEO Paul Otellini making a spectacular entrance in smoke attired in a clean suit. Entering on the stage he said, "Steve, I want to report that Intel is ready." Apple's Macs will now be powered by Intel's Duo dual-core chips. The MacBook Pro will be the first Apple product to be equipped with Intel chips.
Apple made the transition from IBM Power PC chips to Intel last year and had intimated that the first Intel products would be shipped in June 2006, but the speed with which Apple has moved has surprised many analysts as well as Apple watchers. The Macbook will be significantly different in its parameters as well. It will weigh 5.6 pounds and come equipped with a 15.4-inch screen.
These iMacs are reportedly four times faster than the PowerBooks that they will replace. "These things are screamers," Jobs said. The new iMac will retail for $1,299 and is available in 17-inch or 20-inch screens, while the MacBook Pro is to retail for $1,999 and should begin shipping in February.
The move to Intel is being seen as a way to promote Mac products and is an invitation to consumers to move away from Windows PCs. Contrary to expectations that Jobs would unveil a new iPod Shuffle, the focus at the Macworld Expo were the new Intel-based Macs. Jobs also intimated that the entire Apple line of products would shift to Intel by the end of this year.
