Analyst: Apple Could Be Weighing AMD Acquisition

Rumors and leaks are a regular feature of Apple-watching, and there's usually some substance behind a fair number of them. One currently making the rounds is that Apple could be ditching Intel in favor of AMD processors. Analyst Rob Enderle took the supposing one step further, suggesting that Apple might even be considering acquisition of AMD in order bolster its ability to make its own processors in-house.

[2late]

GOD NO!!!

[darthv72]

thinking back in the day, apple used ati graphics in almost all their macs. Ati gets aquired by AMD and now apple would not only get amd chips but also back with ati graphics.

Apple could get amd to refine the cpu for the os and amd can get apple to refine the os for the cpu.

[Noctis Aftermath]

I would much rather they didn't, they will probably raise the prices across the board on all AMD and ATI products.

[Lich120]

As an advocate of ATI graphics cards (AMD processors to a lesser extent) and someone who thinks apple products are silly I really don't want to see this happen.

I don't care if apple uses ATI's products, but buying them out is a whole different story. I mean, who wouldn't want a iRadeon? Now with twice the cost and no DirectX support!

[darkmurder]

Great so your going to turn a bang for your buck product into an overpriced gimmicky 'cool' product assuming this happens. Yeah no thanks...

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

This would be really bad. Intel's only CPU competitor going to a company that thrives on making their product trendy and over priced. Nothing wrong with that, but just don't pollute the cpu market.

[crck]

I welcome the acquisition but only because I have AMD stock. However I would definitely stop buying AMD products if it happened. Apple buying AMD would probably spell the end of cheap quad core processors for the masses.

[JsonHenry]

I'll never buy AMD/ATi ever again if this happens. Mostly because I won't be able to afford more $$ for the Apple name.

[Cueil]

@OP those were my exact words when I read the title

[dragunrising]

No one has mentioned yet the effect this deal could have on the future Xbox. Ati, owned by AMD, manufactures (created the architecture?) the GPU of the 360 currently. If Apple buys AMD, Microsoft may be forced to use Nvidia as their future GPU. Either that or Apple will create their own console...

[krauler]

nevermind

[TOO PAWNED]

could be amazing move by apple if true

[MarshallXDTeach]

I'd like to think of it as a move that could benefit the Mac in terms of gaming possibilities. Though I heard through the grapevine that AMD still relies on Intel in some sort of way(take this as clear speculation though). If they did pick up the company AMD, I wonder if Apple would keep producing AMD products for the gaming community…I know I would with the latest earnings report that came out for AMD.

[Letros]

Would have been a great move back when AMD introduced the first x64 processors.

Now I believe this would just be a move to obtain cheaper hardware, and still charge the same amount of money.

I don't think they will removed all Intel based systems, triple channel DDR3 is currently only available for Intel based systems and it is vastly superior for professional media, seems to be the only real reason to have to own a Mac.

I doubt it has anything to do with gaming, that problem lies with 99% of games being coded in DirectX API, Mac would have to use OpenGL.

[respn]

Apple keep your bright rave colored hands away from AMD. You only want to rape and charge us for it.

[XxRoosterxX]

Apple is turning into Microsoft.

People just love Apple too much to realize it.

[bjornbear]

when their products repeatedly fail and are rushed out

but so far that has not been the case

they may be expensive, they may be flashy and limited somewhat, but they are of quality, thats what seperates them from MS

otherwise, they are pretty close

[RagTagBnd445]

I would take a microsoft product over an apple product any day (not talking about consoles). I also thinks Windows 7 is far superior to any apple OS. Anyways i don't want all the restrictions Apple put in their products.

[Cueil]

how quickly people seem to forget the crappy battery for what the first three generations of the iPod or that iTunes was a mess until Zune software showed them that Pictures are indeed greater than spread sheets(and it still a messy piece of software)

[matey]

No they dont not 1 of my friends have an apple product were aged 28-30 so maybe its for kids that like gadgets but there is 1 thing that apple will never have and thats 1st party developers or in house devs to make insane games like nintendo or even sony they have developers at nintendo that are so talented they get praised for having hollywood quality games 95% average for all nintendo games on metacritic no other company can say that and at the end of the day if nintendo go with FUSION tech in the wii 2 it will be able to do in game CGI graphics as well as directx 11 so along with the talented developers its endless what could happen in game design for wii2 i mean even with this wii the games like mario galaxy 2 ect are too good no apple game will ever come close to that quality nintendo have devs that have worked for them since they were 18 years old now there 45-55 years old some alot younger but thats the experience nintendo have and with making sora productions an in house developer will make things even better but apple could buy all they want nintendo quality is hard to come by

[MetalFreakMike]

I do not like Apple at all! If they buy AMD then I will be stuck buying Intel products again! I am hoping this will never happen!

I do not care for Intel at all. They can keep their one grand 6 core processors to themselves. I'll wait for AMD to bring a cheaper and just as good processor out for less then half the price.

[SuperStrokey1123]

Well, if true, this would almost make it a certainty that apple would enter the console market next gen. They would have literally everything they need for a digital distribution based system. They could use itunes for the games and have the cpu and vid card built in house.

Not really sure how i feel about this at all... guess more of a wait and see attitude cause the games that are on itunes are often the exact same as those on DS and PSP and are often much cheap (GTA: China Town for example) so this may be good or bad...

[Youg]

... I like AMD... :D

[Handsome_Devil]

I wonder if this happen, what would that means to the companies rely on AMD for processor and ATI for graphics cards? I mean that if able went all exclusive with them.

[GodsHand]

Would create a bid war, and possible a partnership on developing a custom processor like Sony did with the cell. Who knows maybe even VIA could try and make a move into the gaming scene. Nintendo would use them most likely, as they are cheap to manufacture, and are power efficient.

[GodsHand]

This would create a monopoly, because I don't see people buying VIA processors for gaming other then power consumption. Like stated above Apple would over charge for their products, and Intel would follow suite because they have no direct competition to contend with, other then what people want, and how much they are willing to spend. I happen to own a couple of custom built computers using AMD processors, but I more of a fan of Intel. But I would not want to see this happen, unless some guidelines were implemented to keep them from price gouging.

[mcgrawgamer]

if one thing apple has proven time and time again. they want maximum gains and minimum output. AMD cpu's are selling pretty well I assume I have one, and their GPU's have really hit a stride. their market cap now is a lil over 6 billion. I don't see apple spending any substantial money to acquire them.

[FasterThanFTL]

^

[ps3ftwin]

apple is terrible, think what would happen to te development of GPUS if this really happened.

Think of the impact on next gen consoles. With apples rediculous pricing and stagnant development it would be terrible overall.

[anonymouse111335]

This would be horrible, apple overcharge their products and you can see ALL computer costs skyrocketing, not just ones people build or pre-built ones.

Most pre-built computers use AMD, next gen it'd be hard if they chose to use a processor from AMD/Intel since AMD would be owned by apple, and Intel is quality but very expensive, not only that you can expect almost all processors around $300. iirc AMD owns ATI, so by proxy Apple would own ATI as well,

So to people who only play on consoles and say this doesn't affect you: pro tip it does.

[anonymouse111335]

State a fact, get disagrees, go look at the specs of apples computers Vs a windows one with near the same specs, the mac is a LOT pricier.

[stuntman_mike]

im a big fan of AMD, most of the people i know who built their first gaming rig used AMD as their cheaper and better bang for your buck. if apple do buy them say good buy to cheaper processors and gpu's. maybe if they worked together to make some components that would be better.

[GrilledCheeseBook]

this would be terrible
who would be the budget brand if this happens

[doshey]

noooo
i use to buy intel cpu but when i built a new computer with a AMD i became a fan of them and now have a triple core cpu that i bought for 75 bucks, i dont want to see this happen at all, apple piss me off so bad with there c0ckiness, all of there restrictions, i cant belive i can put up with there iphone. This would just ruin the cpu market if this deal goes through