Apple to use Intel chips in all Macs by 2007

The official announcement came today from Apple, their plans to use Intel microprocessors beginning in 2006 and eventually all of their Macs by the end of 2007.

A shock to many, but Apple assures us that Intel has the strongest processor roadmap over any other chip manufacturers. If Steve Jobs says it’s a good plan, I wouldn’t doubt it.

Apple also previewed a version of Mac OS X Tiger running on an Intel-based Mac to over 3,800 developers at the keynote address this afternoon.

The Apple Developer Transition Kit will begin selling today for $999 to all Apple Developer Connection Select and Premier members. Additional information for Apple Developer Connection members is available at developer.apple.com. Intel plans to provide their development tools for Apple later this year, including the Intel C/C++ Compiler for Apple, Intel Fortran Compiler for Apple, Intel Math Kernel Libraries for Apple and Intel Integrated Performance Primitives for Apple.

“Our goal is to provide our customers with the best personal computers in the world, and looking ahead Intel has the strongest processor roadmap by far,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “It’s been ten years since our transition to the PowerPC, and we think Intel’s technology will help us create the best personal computers for the next ten years.”