Which IBM processor will get the G6 moniker from Apple?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
My guess is that the POWER5 and POWER5e derivatives will be called G5e by Apple - they'll reserve the G6 name for IBM's POWER6 derivative. Anyone else have evidence pointing one way or another?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Well, to get the facts straight it is Power5 and Power5+. I agree with you the G6 will have the heritage of the Power6. The intro of the G6 could be expected sometime in 2007 or 2008. I will hope for 2007 so I could possibly get a G6 Powerbook for college. I don't think apple will call it the G5+.
  • Reply 2 of 29
    Oops - got my numbers mixed up. What I meant was POWER5+ and G5e, not POWER5e and G5e. Thanks for pointing out the correct names. I am hoping for a 2007 introduction of the G6 too - I plan to buy a PowerMac G6 in early 2007 if they're available.
  • Reply 3 of 29
    why is everybody excluding motorola's Freescale?
  • Reply 4 of 29
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ollebolle

    why is everybody excluding motorola's Freescale?



    No one really knows whether Motorola/Freescale can deliver processors in a timeframe that allows Apple to plan machines that use them. Given Motorola's past history, I'm sure Apple will use them as their secondary supplier - IBM being Apple's primary chip supplier.
  • Reply 5 of 29
    I doubt the G5 will be called the G5e. To me it sounds and looks kinda korny. I'd rather see a G5+ to go along with the Power5+.
  • Reply 6 of 29
    mugwumpmugwump Posts: 233member
    I would suspect the G5 has quite a bit of marketing life in it, no matter what technology is next up from IBM.



    At the earliest, a Dual Core could be something that requires a G6 moniker, to help market this new single chip approach.
  • Reply 7 of 29
    telomartelomar Posts: 1,804member
    I rather think you'll see a dual core chip late next year or early 2006 that will be called the G6. I expect it'll also be a natural improvement on what they already have.
  • Reply 8 of 29
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Apple would be smart in marketing the G6 w/Power 6. It would seem more IBM, and people could latch on to that naming scheme easily.



    I think the Dual core G5's will be just that. Dual Core G5's.
  • Reply 9 of 29
    ~ufo~~ufo~ Posts: 245member
    I don't think so.



    Apple are not apt to changing the name of the processor when it's still basically the same. So the G5 will remain just G5 until it's replaced by a next generation chip, which apple will name the G6 and so on.



    Why would they reserve the name G6 for Power6 babies ?



    The G5 is a power4 baby innit?



    I don't see apple giving processors a name like G5e or G5+

    Too confusing for the consumer, Apple don't like that.

    Stevie keeps the Apple consumer on a need to know basis.



    just my ?0,02
  • Reply 10 of 29
    david_ocdavid_oc Posts: 90member
    I agree with ~ufo~.



    Anyway, didn't the G4 actually go through several iterations? And the G4 in a portable wasn't necessarily the same as a G4 in a desktop.
  • Reply 11 of 29
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ~ufo~

    I don't think so.



    Apple are not apt to changing the name of the processor when it's still basically the same. So the G5 will remain just G5 until it's replaced by a next generation chip, which apple will name the G6 and so on.



    Why would they reserve the name G6 for Power6 babies ?



    The G5 is a power4 baby innit?



    I don't see apple giving processors a name like G5e or G5+

    Too confusing for the consumer, Apple don't like that.

    Stevie keeps the Apple consumer on a need to know basis.



    just my ?0,02




    Remember the enhancements made to the G4 towards the middle of its life? Those were called 'G4e' by Apple, but not marketed as such. I suspect Apple will do the same with the G5.
  • Reply 12 of 29
    ~ufo~~ufo~ Posts: 245member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wrldwzrd89

    Remember the enhancements made to the G4 towards the middle of its life? Those were called 'G4e' by Apple, but not marketed as such. I suspect Apple will do the same with the G5.



    i was unaware of this, but I take it they marked it G4e internally and just called it G4 to the outside world?
  • Reply 13 of 29
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ~ufo~

    i was unaware of this, but I take it they marked it G4e internally and just called it G4 to the outside world?



    Ding ding ding! We have a winner! (You are correct)
  • Reply 14 of 29
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ~ufo~

    I don't think so.



    Apple are not apt to changing the name of the processor when it's still basically the same. So the G5 will remain just G5 until it's replaced by a next generation chip, which apple will name the G6 and so on.



    Why would they reserve the name G6 for Power6 babies ?



    The G5 is a power4 baby innit?



    I don't see apple giving processors a name like G5e or G5+

    Too confusing for the consumer, Apple don't like that.

    Stevie keeps the Apple consumer on a need to know basis.



    just my ?0,02




    Yes, you are correct. The current G5 are based on the Power4(now I believe it is Power4+ if there is one). But, next year the G5's will be based off the Power5 as long as IBM doesn't have any problems. With the supposed Power6 intro in 2006 having a 2007-2008 intro for the G6 IBM would have had time of making the PPC 980(the deriative of the Power6). The G6 might be even a dual core. I just can't wait for the G6 dual core to be in a powerbook.
  • Reply 15 of 29
    I wonder if the next PowerPC will get the enhanced AltiVec unit found in the G4e. I'm also curious as to what else IBM's planning on changing in the next PowerPC chip.
  • Reply 16 of 29
    brendonbrendon Posts: 642member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by quagmire

    Yes, you are correct. The current G5 are based on the Power4(now I believe it is Power4+ if there is one). But, next year the G5's will be based off the Power5 as long as IBM doesn't have any problems. With the supposed Power6 intro in 2006 having a 2007-2008 intro for the G6 IBM would have had time of making the PPC 980(the deriative of the Power6). The G6 might be even a dual core. I just can't wait for the G6 dual core to be in a powerbook.



    My guess is that the POWER5 derivitative will be marketed as the G6, for the reasons that the G5/G6 will follow the naming convention of the G3/G4, consumer/professional machines, and due to the fact that the POWER5 and its derivatives will sport a large performance improvement above the 970 and 970fx, such to warrent a different marketing nomenclature.
  • Reply 17 of 29
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Brendon

    My guess is that the POWER5 derivitative will be marketed as the G6, for the reasons that the G5/G6 will follow the naming convention of the G3/G4, consumer/professional machines, and due to the fact that the POWER5 and its derivatives will sport a large performance improvement above the 970 and 970fx, such to warrent a different marketing nomenclature.



    So you are saying that since next year there is going to be a PPC based off the Power5, we are going to see a similar thing happen like the G3? Let me remind you of the G3, came out in 98. G4 came out 99. So you are saying we are going to see the G6 next year? I do not think we are going to see the G5 last for 2 years on the spotlight.
  • Reply 18 of 29
    brendonbrendon Posts: 642member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by quagmire

    So you are saying that since next year there is going to be a PPC based off the Power5, we are going to see a similar thing happen like the G3? Let me remind you of the G3, came out in 98. G4 came out 99. So you are saying we are going to see the G6 next year? I do not think we are going to see the G5 last for 2 years on the spotlight.



    Yep, either late this year or early next whenever IBM can get the POWER5 derived chips shipping. I do not think that we can use the POWER4/970 timing to predict the POWER5/980 transition. For a few reasons;

    1. the .09 issues are being solved, and that should help create a knowledge base to help deal with any 980 problems.

    2. I believe that I read that the 980 will be closer to the POWER5 than the 970 is to the POWER4, in that dual core could be worked in much easier, and this appears where most performance will come from rather than from clockspeed. Many things could happen here and IBM is in a good position to deliver them, multi threading and dual core may be easier to do than bump up clockspeed.

    3. The Altivec processing unit was an addition that Apple asked for and IBM had to put in late in the planning, the 980 will not suffer from lack of planning time for features.



    I believe that the POWER5/980, if that is what it is will be called the G6.
  • Reply 19 of 29
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Brendon

    Yep, either late this year or early next whenever IBM can get the POWER5 derived chips shipping. I do not think that we can use the POWER4/970 timing to predict the POWER5/980 transition. For a few reasons;

    1. the .09 issues are being solved, and that should help create a knowledge base to help deal with any 980 problems.

    2. I believe that I read that the 980 will be closer to the POWER5 than the 970 is to the POWER4, in that dual core could be worked in much easier, and this appears where most performance will come from rather than from clockspeed. Many things could happen here and IBM is in a good position to deliver them, multi threading and dual core may be easier to do than bump up clockspeed.

    3. The Altivec processing unit was an addition that Apple asked for and IBM had to put in late in the planning, the 980 will not suffer from lack of planning time for features.



    I believe that the POWER5/980, if that is what it is will be called the G6.




    I also believe that I read a article about IBM roadmap.



    2005: Power5/975 based G5 will be out



    2006: Power6 debuts. Power5+/976 G5 comes out.



    Then sometime 2007 or 2008 the Power6/980 or what ever number it is G6 will be introduced.
  • Reply 20 of 29
    brendonbrendon Posts: 642member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by quagmire

    I also believe that I read a article about IBM roadmap.



    2005: Power5/975 based G5 will be out



    2006: Power6 debuts. Power5+/976 G5 comes out.



    Then sometime 2007 or 2008 the Power6/980 or what ever number it is G6 will be introduced.




    Then I guess my money is on the 975 being called the G6. From what I havae read the 975 should be very different from the 970 to the point that Apple would call it the G6, and market it towards the pro machines.
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