As reported by OSNews.com, there is some speculation as to the parentage of the upcoming Apple branded G5 processor. At this time the Motorola G5 roadmap is still behind, and given the companies penchant for delivering to the imbedded markets first, then Apple second, a move by the Cupertino collective to the IBM Power4 architecture seems not only plausible but likely.

I am not sure how I feel about this move, while the bump in speed is a welcome, if not actually needed plus, there are definate drawbacks in this move. The Power4 does not make use of the AltiVec instruction subset, in fact they have headed in the opposite direction in this area. As has been reported elsewhere the IBM PowerPC G3 processor is still alive, and is careening on a roadmap to 2.2+ ghz. At first glance it might not seem as though the lack of AltiVec should concern us that much. But upon closer inspection , you would realize that the reason that Apple Computers can keep up with the bottom feeding Wintel boxes is that most of the progs we use have been optimized to take advantage of the AltiVec Engine. Without this there would be no contest. So, If Apple makes the move to Power4 and there isn't an AltiVec instruction set, all the developers out there that took the time and expense to include that optimization will find themsleves on the short end of the "oh thanks but we no longer need that" stick. At a time when confidence in Apple and her products is in a very precarious position I don't know if alienating yourslef from your developers is the best course of action.

On the other hand, if IBM and Apple activate thier Wonder Twin Powers, form of a Power4 processor with AltiVec Engine! They could actually make serious headway in the Mhz Myth arena. Who knows stranger things have happened.